Protean Electric

Last updated
Protean Electric
Type Private
Industry Automotive technology
Founded2009
Headquarters Farnham, United Kingdom
Key people
  • Andrew Whitehead (CEO)
ProductsElectric in-wheel motors
Number of employees
114 (January 2018)
Website proteanelectric.com

Protean Electric is an automotive technology company specializing in in-wheel motor technology. The company has developed an in-wheel, electric-drive system for hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and battery electric vehicles. Their technology creates a permanent magnet e-machine with relatively high torque and power density with the power electronics and controls packaged within the motor itself. Their in-wheel motor product is intended to be produced in low volume by Protean Electric and licensed in high volume to global automotive and Tier 1 automotive supply companies. Protean Electric is a privately held company with approximately 114 employees. Protean Electric has operations in the United States, United Kingdom, and China.

Contents

Technology

Protean Electric's in-wheel motor is intended to save space on board the vehicle by allowing the drive system to be mounted behind a conventional road wheel and apply torque directly to the wheel and tire.

Each of Protean's in-wheel motors can deliver 80 kW (100 hp) and 1250 Nm (935 lb-ft) and weigh 36 kg (75 lbs.). [1] They are sized to fit within the space of a conventional 16- or 18-inch road wheel. The electric motors are designed for use in front-, rear- and all-wheel drive vehicle applications and can be adapted to existing internal combustion engine powered cars and trucks to turn them into hybrids. [2]

Since Protean Electric's motors fit behind the wheels of a vehicle, they can be used as part of a drive system that does not require a gearbox, differential, or drive shafts. This creates an energy-efficient drivetrain that potentially saves cost, reduces weight and frees up space on board the vehicle that was previously dedicated to drivetrain components. According to Protean Electric, its in-wheel motors can increase fuel economy by over 30 percent depending on the battery size and driving cycle in a hybrid or plug-in hybrid vehicle. It is also capable of enabling torque vectoring by applying individual torque at optimal levels to each wheel to improve vehicle safety and handling.

Protean has been awarded over 120 patents for its technology and design, and more than 100 additional patent applications have been filed and are pending internationally and with specific countries in North America, Europe and Asia.

In-wheel motors offer the benefits of drastically improved vehicle packaging, simplified two-wheel or all-wheel-drive layouts, the option of through-the-road hybridization, more efficient regenerative braking, and the most direct wheel control possible. The downside is added unsprung weight which can impact handling performance. [3] During their research efforts, Protean Electric and Lotus found that most negative effects of added unsprung mass could be eliminated by adding suspension damping, and that the ability to utilize accurate torque vectoring actually improved car's handling so much that the net effect of the whole arrangement was positive. [4]

Another drawback of in-wheel motors is the fundamental physical reality that their location inside the wheel places them in much closer proximity to road impacts. In other words, an in-wheel motor must directly cope with these forces exerted on the wheel, without the cushioning effect of a suspension. This type of layout stands in contrast to the traditional mounting location of the motor in the vehicle body, an arrangement that ensures that a sudden road impact to the wheel is directly and immediately dealt with by the suspension, thereby ensuring that the vehicle body (containing the motor and all other components) is exposed to very little of the road shock.

Furthermore, an in-wheel motor must also operate in much closer proximity to physical insults from the road, including road grit, water, and saltwater (from road-deicing salts in cold climate). These concerns must be addressed in the design and engineering of such motors.

Additionally, the location of in-wheel motors, combined with the fact that four of them are needed (for a four-wheel-drive vehicle), may result in more complicated maintenance. However, on the other hand, with in-wheel motors, no differentials are required, so this aspect serves to simplify the maintenance aspect.

Company Background

Protean has been developing in-wheel electric motors for several years. Protean Electric was founded in 2009 after PML Flightlink was put into administration in 2008. Protean Electric began to focus entirely on the in-wheel technology for automotive applications. Protean has been owned by BEDEO since October 2021, after buying the company from NEVS. [5]

The suppliers and partners are: SKF, FEV, AB Mikroelektronik GmbH, Alcon, ATS Automation Tooling Systems, and Trelleborg Sealing Solutions. [6]

Protean Electric's in-wheel motor technology was recognized by the World Economic Forum, which named Protean a 2012 Technology Pioneer and received recognition from Car and Driver magazine as one of the ten most promising technologies for 2013.[ citation needed ]

See also

Related Research Articles

Vehicle dynamics is the study of vehicle motion, e.g., how a vehicle's forward movement changes in response to driver inputs, propulsion system outputs, ambient conditions, air/surface/water conditions, etc. Vehicle dynamics is a part of engineering primarily based on classical mechanics. It may be applied for motorized vehicles, bicycles and motorcycles, aircraft, and watercraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Unsprung mass</span> Portion of a vehicle not supported by its suspension system

The unsprung mass of a vehicle is the mass of the suspension, wheels or tracks, and other components directly connected to them. This contrasts with the sprung mass supported by the suspension, which includes the body and other components within or attached to it. Components of the unsprung mass include the wheel axles, wheel bearings, wheel hubs, tires, and a portion of the weight of driveshafts, springs, shock absorbers, and suspension links. Brakes that are mounted inboard are part of a vehicle's sprung mass.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Car suspension</span> Suspension system for a vehicle

Suspension is the system of tires, tire air, springs, shock absorbers and linkages that connects a vehicle to its wheels and allows relative motion between the two. Suspension systems must support both road holding/handling and ride quality, which are at odds with each other. The tuning of suspensions involves finding the right compromise. It is important for the suspension to keep the road wheel in contact with the road surface as much as possible, because all the road or ground forces acting on the vehicle do so through the contact patches of the tires. The suspension also protects the vehicle itself and any cargo or luggage from damage and wear. The design of front and rear suspension of a car may be different.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Four-wheel drive</span> Type of drivetrain with four driven wheels

Four-wheel drive, also called 4×4 or 4WD, refers to a two-axled vehicle drivetrain capable of providing torque to all of its wheels simultaneously. It may be full-time or on-demand, and is typically linked via a transfer case providing an additional output drive shaft and, in many instances, additional gear ranges.

Automobile handling and vehicle handling are descriptions of the way a wheeled vehicle responds and reacts to the inputs of a driver, as well as how it moves along a track or road. It is commonly judged by how a vehicle performs particularly during cornering, acceleration, and braking as well as on the vehicle's directional stability when moving in steady state condition.

Hybrid Synergy Drive (HSD), also known as Toyota Hybrid System II, is the brand name of Toyota Motor Corporation for the hybrid car drive train technology used in vehicles with the Toyota and Lexus marques. First introduced on the Prius, the technology is an option on several other Toyota and Lexus vehicles and has been adapted for the electric drive system of the hydrogen-powered Mirai, and for a plug-in hybrid version of the Prius. Previously, Toyota also licensed its HSD technology to Nissan for use in its Nissan Altima Hybrid. Its parts supplier Aisin Seiki Co. offers similar hybrid transmissions to other car companies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inboard brake</span>

An inboard brake is an automobile technology wherein the disc brakes are mounted on the chassis of the vehicle, rather than directly on the wheel hubs. Its main advantages are twofold: a reduction in the unsprung weight of the wheel hubs, as this no longer includes the brake discs and calipers; and braking torque is applied directly to the chassis, rather than being transferred to it through the suspension arms.

A direct-drive mechanism is a mechanism design where the force or torque from a prime mover is transmitted directly to the effector device without involving any intermediate couplings such as a gear train or a belt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Radius rod</span> Suspension link

A radius rod is a suspension link intended to control wheel motion in the longitudinal (fore-aft) direction. The link is connected on one end to the wheel carrier or axle, on the other to the chassis or unibody of the vehicle. Radius rods are also sometimes used in aircraft with fixed undercarriages. Radius rods in aircraft must be regularly inspected because their failure will cause unrestrained swerving of the wheel.

Hybrid vehicle drivetrains transmit power to the driving wheels for hybrid vehicles. A hybrid vehicle has multiple forms of motive power.

An active suspension is a type of automotive suspension that uses an onboard control system to control the vertical movement of the vehicle's wheels and axles relative to the chassis or vehicle frame, rather than the conventional passive suspension that relies solely on large springs to maintain static support and dampen the vertical wheel movements caused by the road surface. Active suspensions are divided into two classes: true active suspensions, and adaptive or semi-active suspensions. While semi-adaptive suspensions only vary shock absorber firmness to match changing road or dynamic conditions, active suspensions use some type of actuator to raise and lower the chassis independently at each wheel.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to automobiles:

S-AWC is the brand name of an advanced full-time four-wheel drive system developed by Mitsubishi Motors. The technology, specifically developed for the new 2007 Lancer Evolution, the 2010 Outlander, the 2014 Outlander, the Outlander PHEV and the Eclipse Cross have an advanced version of Mitsubishi Motors' AWC system. Mitsubishi Motors first exhibited S-AWC integration control technology in the Concept-X model at the 39th Tokyo Motor Show in 2005. According to Mitsubishi Motors, "the ultimate embodiment of the company's AWC philosophy is the S-AWC system, a 4WD-based integrated vehicle dynamics control system".

All Wheel Control (AWC) is the brand name of a four-wheel drive (4WD) system developed by Mitsubishi Motors. The system was first incorporated in the 2001 Lancer Evolution VII. Subsequent developments have led to S-AWC (Super All Wheel Control), developed specifically for the new 2007 Lancer Evolution. The system is referred by the company as its unique 4-wheel drive technology umbrella, cultivated through its motor sports activities and long history in rally racing spanning almost half a century.

The 7 post shaker is a piece of test equipment used to perform technical analysis on race cars. By applying shaking forces the shaker can emulate banking loads, lateral load transfer, longitudinal weight transfer and ride height sensitive downforce to emulate specific racetracks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wheel hub motor</span> Electric motor in the middle of a wheel

The wheel hub motor is an electric motor that is incorporated into the hub of a wheel and either has direct-drive or planetary gears.

Torque vectoring is a technology employed in automobile differentials that has the ability to vary the torque to each half-shaft with an electronic system; or in rail vehicles which achieve the same using individually motored wheels. This method of power transfer has recently become popular in all-wheel drive vehicles. Some newer front-wheel drive vehicles also have a basic torque vectoring differential. As technology in the automotive industry improves, more vehicles are equipped with torque vectoring differentials. This allows for the wheels to grip the road for better launch and handling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drivetrain</span> Group of components that deliver power to the driving wheels

A drivetrain is the group of components that deliver mechanical power from the prime mover to the driven components. In automotive engineering, the drivetrain is the components of a motor vehicle that deliver power to the drive wheels. This excludes the engine or motor that generates the power. In marine applications, the drive shaft will drive a propeller, thruster, or waterjet rather than a drive axle, while the actual engine might be similar to an automotive engine. Other machinery, equipment and vehicles may also use a drivetrain to deliver power from the engine(s) to the driven components.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BMW 7 Series (G11)</span> Motor vehicle

The sixth generation of the BMW 7 Series consists of the BMW G11 and BMW G12 luxury saloons. The G11/G12 generation was produced by BMW from 2015 to 2022, and is often collectively referred to as the G11.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zytek Automotive</span>

Zytek Automotive is a British powertrain and vehicle engineering specialist, which has been part of Continental AG since 2014. Zytek Automotive designs, develops, and integrates electric motors into a range of cars and commercial vehicles. The UK facility can accommodate up to 6,000 E-Drive integrations a year in batches as low as 100.

References

  1. "Specifications | Protean Electric". www.proteanelectric.com. Retrieved 2021-12-01.
  2. HybridCars.com "Brabus Hybrid with Protean Motors Makes US Debut" http://www.hybridcars.com/news/brabus-hybrid-protean-electric-motors-makes-us-debut-45104.html Archived 2012-06-26 at the Wayback Machine
  3. "Protean and Brabus Partner for Hybrid Mercedes with In-Wheel Motors" by Popular Mechanics http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/news/auto-blog/Protean-Hybrid-Mercedes-Concept-8385092
  4. Whitehead, Andrew; Hilton, Chris. "In-Wheel Motors Roll Again". IEEE Spectrum (July 2018): 27. The Lotus engineers were able to eliminate much of the effect of the added unsprung mass by using slightly more suspension damping. What's more, they found that when that unsprung mass came from actual motors attached to the wheels, the ability to power each side of the car independently improved the car's handling substantially. We've now carried out similar studies on other vehicles. And in all cases, we've found that once the dampers are retuned and we add individual wheel control, the net effect on the vehicle's handling is for the better. So unsprung mass really isn't a showstopper after all.
  5. "BEDEO acquires Protean Electric from National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS), part of Evergrande Group's automotive business". www.proteanelectric.com. 4 November 2021. Retrieved 2021-12-01.
  6. Protean Electric "Protean Electric". Archived from the original on 2014-09-24. Retrieved 2012-05-21.