Continental and DeepDrive develop combined drive-brake unit
DeepDrive has developed and patented a double-rotor radial-flux motor that can be installed in production vehicles as a central drive and also as a wheel hub drive – the company presented the wheel hub drive variant in 2021 and the central motor at the IAA 2023. This motor concept is also the focus of the partnership; according to the announcement, both companies are striving for an “efficient, compact wheel hub drive optimised for cost-effective production”.
Continental is contributing brake components for the joint drive-brake unit, as well as the use of its expertise in industrialisation to series development. This is to ensure that the engine innovation from Munich, in combination with the latest brake technology, “gets on the road in a timely manner”. Along with BMW, Continental is one of the existing investors in DeepDrive.
In the first step, the DeepDrive drive is to be combined with a conventional, hydraulic disc brake. However, the partners are directly aiming for a second step: In the long term, dry brake systems without hydraulic elements are to be integrated into the wheel hub drive. However, DeepDrive and Continental do not specify a time frame for this.
The combination of drive and brake in one unit should also pave the way for so-called “corner modules”, which integrate further chassis components, such as air suspension, in a compact unit directly on the wheel. With such corner modules, carmakers should be able to implement a high range with a low installation space requirement – and that with a modular design. One thing is clear: if the space between the axles is not needed for a central engine, it can be used for other purposes, such as additional storage space.
In the combination of drive and brake in one unit, the two partners also see the potential to achieve “particularly high efficiency”. In addition, integrated components should reduce complexity in production. In the joint statement, Continental and DeepDrive do not address the often cited disadvantage of wheel hub motors with their higher unsprung masses (and thus lower ride comfort at higher speeds).
“With DeepDrive, we have gained a strong partner with whom we can jointly and sustainably advance the market penetration of electric mobility,” says Matthias Matic, head of the Safety and Motion business unit at Continental. “The electric motors developed by DeepDrive extend the range of electric vehicles. They are lighter, more economical, and more resource efficient. Combining all that with our efficient, high-performance brake technology to produce a new, compact unit is a decisive contribution to the success of electric mobility. What belongs together grows together here.”
“We are convinced that the development of our dual-rotor motor will revolutionize the electrification of motor vehicles,” says Felix Pörnbacher, co-founder and CEO of DeepDrive. “The strategic partnership with Continental makes it possible to combine our drive system with the brake technology needed to create an innovative electric component essential to the mobility of tomorrow. The soaring demand for such technology demonstrates that this is the right way to go.”
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