Summary
- Porsche worked on electric vehicles with hub motors in the early 1900s
- These hub motors had outputs up to 11.8 hp and were intended for use with lead-acid batteries
- They were used in hybrids like the Lohner-Porsche Semper Vivus
- In-wheel motors are still attracting interest over a century later
- Automakers like Dongfeng, Aptera, Ferrari, Hyundai, and Toyota are studying hub motors for future use
Article
At the turn of the 20th century, Ferdinand Porsche experimented with electric motors, including in-wheel hub motors, laying the foundation for electric vehicle technology. In 1900, Porsche unveiled an electric vehicle that he helped develop at the Paris World’s Fair. This vehicle, known as the Lohner-Porsche, featured electric motors integrated into the front hubs, producing 2.4 hp and achieving a top speed of 19.8 mph. Additionally, the Lohner-Porsche featured four-wheel braking, a rare innovation at the time.
Porsche continued to develop hub motors, creating various sizes with outputs up to 11.8 hp for use in trucks, buses, and passenger cars. These motors were designed to work with lead-acid batteries, providing a claimed range of up to 31 miles. Porsche also designed an all-wheel-drive electric race car called La Toujours Contente, with one 13.8-hp motor powering each wheel. However, the hub motors saw the most use in hybrids like the Lohner-Porsche Semper Vivus, which combined front hub motors with a gasoline engine.
The hybrid layout developed by Lohner and Porsche was eventually applied to about 300 production vehicles, including those used by the Viennese fire department, taxis, and private passenger cars. More than a century later, in-wheel motors are still garnering interest in the automotive industry, with Chinese automaker Dongfeng claiming to be the first to use them in a fully-homologated passenger car in 2023. Other companies like Aptera are also incorporating hub motors into their designs, with established automakers like Ferrari, Hyundai, and Toyota exploring the technology through patent filings.
Despite the slow adoption of in-wheel motors in production vehicles, interest in the technology remains high. Companies like Dongfeng, Aptera, and others are actively pursuing the use of hub motors in their vehicles to enhance efficiency and performance. This continued exploration and development of in-wheel motors by both new and established automotive manufacturers indicate a growing trend towards the integration of electric propulsion systems in future vehicles.
Overall, Ferdinand Porsche’s early work with electric motors, particularly in-wheel hub motors, has had a lasting impact on the automotive industry. The innovations he introduced in the early 20th century laid the groundwork for the development of electric vehicles and hybrid technologies that are still being explored and implemented today. With ongoing advancements in electric propulsion systems and in-wheel motor technology, the future of transportation looks to be electrically driven, with the potential for increased efficiency, performance, and sustainability in the automotive sector.
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