Motor Authority - blog Tag: Michelin

Michelin's Active Wheel technology has been 12 years in the making, and now there is finally a commercial application of the astonishing technology in a small city car named the 'Will'. The new car will be able to seat five passengers, and its electric drivetrain will offer a range of around 150km from its lithium-ion battery pack.

The Active Wheel integrates an electric motor, brakes and suspension functions inside the wheel itself. The car is now under testing in France and is being developed by contract manufacturer Heuliez.

The French company is best known for producing versions of Citroen and Peugeot cars – such as estate... Michelin's Active Wheel technology has been 12 years in the making, and now there is finally a commercial application of the astonishing technology in a small city car named the 'Will'. The new car will be able to seat five passengers, and its electric drivetrain will offer a range of around 150km from its lithium-ion battery pack. The Active Wheel integrates an electric motor, brakes and suspension functions inside the wheel itself. The car is now under testing in France and is being developed by contract manufacturer Heuliez. The French company is best known for producing versions of Citroen and Peugeot cars – such as estate derivatives – where volumes are too low to justify full-scale production. Heuliez’s assembly plant in Cerizay, France, has the capacity to produce the Will and the company plans to build “several thousand” of them a year from 2010. It will feature two Active Wheels driving the front wheels, and two regular wheels at the back. Active Wheel technology has been intensely anticipated due to the massive advantages it offers over traditional engines, as well as its ability to completely change the way cars look and operate. Since there is no need for a gearbox, clutch, transmission shaft, differential or shock absorbers, the technology also offers the possibility of a totally flat floor, maximizing interior space and under-car aerodynamics. For an in-depth write-up about Michelin's new Active Wheel technology, follow this link. Heuliez isn’t the only carmaker pursuing the technology. At last year’s Paris Motor Show, French electric vehicle firm Venturi showed off a sports concept car fitted with four Active Wheels.2008 Venturi Volage Concept at Paris Motor Show Read More

Tire manufacturing giant Michelin is partnering with China's CITIC Guon Mengguli Corporation (MGL) to develop a new-generation electric powertrain systems based on its Active Wheel technology. The first commercial applications of Active Wheel are expected to be in production in China early next year, and if successful could spread to Western markets by 2010.

The Active Wheel is essentially a standard wheel that houses a pair of electric motors. One of the motors spins the wheel and transmits power to the ground, while the other acts as an active suspension system to improve comfort, handling and stability. The system is designed for... Tire manufacturing giant Michelin is partnering with China's CITIC Guon Mengguli Corporation (MGL) to develop a new-generation electric powertrain systems based on its Active Wheel technology. The first commercial applications of Active Wheel are expected to be in production in China early next year, and if successful could spread to Western markets by 2010. The Active Wheel is essentially a standard wheel that houses a pair of electric motors. One of the motors spins the wheel and transmits power to the ground, while the other acts as an active suspension system to improve comfort, handling and stability. The system is designed for battery or fuel-cell powered electric vehicles, and the technology is such that a vehicle equipped with it will no longer need any gearbox, clutch, transmission shaft, universal joint or anti-roll bar. The partnership between the French tire manufacturer and the Chinese company will see Michelin's Active Wheel paired with batteries produced by MGL, while the two will work together to develop a control system, reports Automotive News. The partnership has already yielded a basic electric vehicle that utilizes the technology. The Active Wheel electric car built by the two companies is based on a Lifan 520, a model from the same company that brought us this Mini Cooper clone at the start of the year. Currently the Active Wheel electric car is untested, but proves that the technology can work. The batteries fitted in that car only have a lifespan of around 62,000 - 81,000 miles before they need replacing due to their ability to be charged a maximum of around 1,000 times. The car itself has a range of around 70 miles and can hit almost 90mph when pushed. During October’s Paris Motor Show Michelin unveiled the latest generation of its innovative design in the new Volage electric roadster concept from Monaco’s Venturi, which you can read about in our previous story by clicking here.2008 Venturi Volage Concept at Paris Motor Show Read More

Michelin’s Active Wheel technology has been around for the past couple of years but actual applications of the electronic powertrain and handling management system are still hard to come by. Over the years the technology has been showcased in a number of concepts, and at this week’s Paris Motor Show Michelin unveiled the latest generation of its innovative design in the new Volage electric roadster concept from Monaco’s Venturi.

The Active Wheel is essentially a standard wheel that houses a pair of electric motors. One of the motors spins the wheel and transmits power to the ground, while the other acts as an active... Michelin’s Active Wheel technology has been around for the past couple of years but actual applications of the electronic powertrain and handling management system are still hard to come by. Over the years the technology has been showcased in a number of concepts, and at this week’s Paris Motor Show Michelin unveiled the latest generation of its innovative design in the new Volage electric roadster concept from Monaco’s Venturi. The Active Wheel is essentially a standard wheel that houses a pair of electric motors. One of the motors spins the wheel and transmits power to the ground, while the other acts as an active suspension system to improve comfort, handling and stability. The system is designed for battery or fuel-cell powered electric vehicles, and the technology is such that a vehicle equipped with it will no longer need any gearbox, clutch, transmission shaft, universal joint or anti-roll bar. Active Wheel’s compact drive motor and integrated suspension system has also enabled designers to fit a standard brake disc between the motors, which means the braking, drive and suspension components are all fitted within the single wheel. Depending on the amount of power or type of usage desired, a given vehicle may feature up to four Active Wheels for AWD traction. The system also allows torque from the motors to be electronically controlled for each individual wheel independently. The results are similar to the effects of an active differential, allowing a vehicle with Active Wheel technology to make much faster turns in poor conditions than traditional shaft-driven vehicles. For the suspension, an electric motor controls an actuator connected to a damping system with varying levels of firmness. This unique system features extremely fast response time—just 3/1000ths of a second and all pitching and rolling motions are automatically corrected. One final benefit of Active Wheel technology is the advantages in passive safety. Since there is no need for a traditional engine in the front of the vehicle, this area can now be entirely dedicated to impact absorption. Michelin first began development on its Active Wheel more than 12 years ago but is yet to announce when the first commercial applications of the technology will be available. Meanwhile, Venturi’s Volage Concept, which utilizes four Active Wheels, has been confirmed for production in 2012, although it’s not clear if the final production version will share the same features as the concept.2008 Venturi Volage Concept at Paris Motor Show Read More

Venturi is most widely recognized for its all-electric Fetish, a compact Roadster similar to the Tesla Roadster that is still in development and is due to hit the streets in June of next year. The company, which is based in Monaco, has now presented a new electric concept in the form of the Volage, which is on display at the Paris Motor Show this week.

In building the concept, Venturi called upon Michelin to bestow its new ‘active wheel’ technology. The new feature utilizes two independent motors in each wheel - one to transmit power to the ground and the other to control the electronic suspension and braking system. In this... Venturi is most widely recognized for its all-electric Fetish, a compact Roadster similar to the Tesla Roadster that is still in development and is due to hit the streets in June of next year. The company, which is based in Monaco, has now presented a new electric concept in the form of the Volage, which is on display at the Paris Motor Show this week. In building the concept, Venturi called upon Michelin to bestow its new ‘active wheel’ technology. The new feature utilizes two independent motors in each wheel - one to transmit power to the ground and the other to control the electronic suspension and braking system. In this way the car’s wheels are always connected to the road. Its curvaceous body is constructed from carbon-fiber and its powertrain consists of eight electric motors, all powered by advanced lithium polymer batteries. Each motor outputs 55kW and 232Nm of torque. The dashboard features an LCD touchscreen panel that allows the driver to control the amount of power delivered to the wheels to help extend the driving range. The Volage is capable of accelerating from 0-62mph in less than five seconds and can reach a top speed of close to 160mph. The driving range is an estimated 200 miles on a single charge. According to Venturi, the Volage will enter production in 2012. Like the current Fetish, the Volage will be hand assembled in Monaco in very limited numbers.2008 Venturi Volage Concept at Paris Motor Show Read More