Hyundai is continuing work on in-wheel hub motors for electric vehicles, two recent patent filings indicate.
One filing, published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Nov. 14, 2024, after being submitted by Hyundai’s affiliated technology supplier, Hyundai Mobis, earlier in the year, covers a drive mechanism that would allow a hub-mounted electric motor to spin a wheel. This would consist of a wheel bearing, outer race, and a speed reducer incorporating a ring gear couple to the bearing.
Hyundai in-wheel drive unit patent image
The second document, published by the USPTO Oct. 29, 2024, and originally filed by Hyundai Mobis Feb. 13, 2022, is for an “in-wheel working device.” This is essentially a setup for incorporating a gearshift mechanism into the rotor of a hub-mounted motor.
While not all patented ideas make it to production, these two patents indicate Hyundai is at least still developing in-wheel motors, having teased some similar concepts in the past, including the e-Corner modular steering and propulsion system. It packaged in-wheel motors along with steering and braking hardware into modules that could be installed at all corners of a vehicle, allowing more packaging freedom and the ability to rotate wheels up to 90 degrees.
Hyundai in-wheel working device patent image
Hyundai and Kia in 2023 also unveiled an alternative design that split the difference between conventional motors and in-wheel motors. Called the Universal Drive System—or Uni Wheel—it moved motors closer to the wheels, but not into them.
Other automakers, such as Ferrari and Toyota, have patented in-wheel motor designs. China’s Dongfeng claims to be the first to use in-wheel motors in a production passenger car, although the Lordstown Endurance pickup truck also used them before its production stalled. Aptera also plans to use in-wheel motors for its three-wheeler, but that vehicle will be an autocycle, not a car.
