NTN Corporation (hereafter, NTN) has provided both Mie Prefecture and Kuwana City with a converted electric vehicle (converted EV*) equipped with the newly developed “In-wheel Motor Sysem” as part of support for the “Ise-Shima Summit.”
Until now, NTN has provided converted EV equipped with its proprietary developed In-wheel Motor System to local government bodies and other authorities to run demonstration tests. The In-wheel Motor is a new drive system that is expected to be widely used for EVs into the future, as mounting the motor within the wheel not only allows more efficient use of space within the cabin, but also allows the torque delivered to each wheel to be controlled individually for greater driving performance. While NTN's In-wheel Motor has been praised for its light weight, an ongoing issue was the need to change the specification of the suspension mounted in the vehicle.
The “New In-wheel Motor System” that has been developed this time features a combination of parallel axial reduction gear and outer ring rotating hub for lighter and more compact design compared to the conventional product. The thickness of the In-wheel Motor part has been cut back by using a motor shaft with an offset layout to the vehicle shaft and keeping its width within the wheel, allowing it to be mounted without changing the vehicle's suspension or steering structure. This can be expected to enable reduction in cost and time of development.
NTN will provide three converted EVs equipped with the new system to Mie Prefecture, and two to Kuwana City, which will be used as official vehicles for Mie Prefecture and Kuwana City as well as publicity for the upcoming Ise-Shima Summit. The exterior of the vehicle has been designed with an image of Mie Prefecture, illustrated by diorama artist Eiji Tamura with the concept of “Passing the Earth onto the Next Generation with Eco - Future Town Integrated with NTN Products.” Logos for the Ise-Shima Summit and Junior Summit have also been included in the design.
By having local governments utilize these new EVs, NTN will contribute to the local community and build up experimental data on the new system.
* Converted EV refers to a modified EV with a motor replacing the ordinary internal combustion engine and batteries mounted onboard
Features of the new In-wheel Motor System
(1) Use of parallel axial gear reducer for lighter and more compact design
(2) Can be used with existing suspension and steering structures
Converted EV provided by NTN
Details of the In-wheel Motor System installed on the provided vehicle
(1) Mounted within 17-inch wheels
(2) Cooling system: air-cooling (piping necessary for water-cooling is not required)
Provided vehicle specifications
