Wheel Motors for Electric Vehicles

Have you been on to Lucas Chloride Electric Vehicles, Guv? <Cough>

For what it's worth... I can see so many applications if there were available- various sizes of electric wheel motors, with the appropriate controls. Such as moving equipment or suppies around a work site, transporting people in ways that would not require a whole lot of re-ingineering... Go carts,lawn mowers, grocery carts, wheel chairs, etc. Carlos My idea back when was of a wheel with a drive shaft that could be driven with an appropriate DC motor(s). This set up can be enhanced with a proximity sensor/controller that made the cart/vehicle follow (lead, pace) a person on foot. Maybe for back packing or on a job site.

"The choices you make might be mistakes but it is never too late to turn around." Johnny Lang- musician

I worked on the controllers of all that you talk about above 12-20 years ago in my previous job, one of the main companies was called "Electro-drive" also "Mobilar Living aids" also a few other companies, and private individuals, including one who had a radio controlled wheelchair with a full sized skeleton on it that would happily drive it around ;o)

http://www.rasertech.com/technology.html

These are the best

Today traditionally all 2 wheeler electric vehicles are based on electric wheels or hub motors as more popularly know.Obviously the right track for all electric vehicles . It improves electrical to mechanical efficiency tremendously.

But its great if all roads and driving locations are flat, but once you get pot-holes or bumps (even speed bumps) you will have a problem with something called "Unspung mass" this is the mass that is accelerated upwards then back downwards every time you hit something that is not flat on the road, the motors have to be capable of sustaining these forces, then the suspension also has to be adequate to carry this load.