The Uni Wheel is a novel wheel design designed by Hyundai and Kia for use in electric vehicles. It incorporates several elements of the drive train into the wheel itself using a system of planetary gears. [1] The name is an abbreviation of Universal Wheel Drive System. [2]
The Uni Wheel is intended to gain the advantages of individual wheel drive without having to mount the motor directly to, or inside, the wheel. Instead, it subsumes the functions of constant-velocity joints, drive shaft and reduction gearing into a single system within the wheel. [1]
The system has a central sun gear, linked by two articulated systems of pinion gears to an enclosing ring gear. [3] [4] It provides both gear reduction and decoupling of the rotation axis of the wheel from the rotation axis of the motor, allowing the motor to be mounted rigidly to the chassis, with the axial loads on the wheel being taken entirely by the suspension system, and also allowing the wheel to be driven at higher speed but lower torque by a smaller-diameter drive shaft.[ citation needed ]
The increased number of gears within the wheel has been identified as a point of concern in relation to possible noise and complexity problems. [5]
A starter is a device used to rotate (crank) an internal-combustion engine so as to initiate the engine's operation under its own power. Starters can be electric, pneumatic, or hydraulic. The starter can also be another internal-combustion engine in the case, for instance, of very large engines, or diesel engines in agricultural or excavation applications.
A Differential is a mechanical device that allows wheels to rotate at different speeds while receiving equal torque. It's crucial for motor vehicles to navigate corners smoothly, as the outer wheel travels a greater distance than the inner one. Without a differential, the vehicle's wheels could slip, or the drive axle could snap.
A continuously variable transmission (CVT) is an automated transmission that can change through a continuous range of gear ratios. This contrasts with other transmissions that provide a limited number of gear ratios in fixed steps. The flexibility of a CVT with suitable control may allow the engine to operate at a constant angular velocity while the vehicle moves at varying speeds.
A limited-slip differential (LSD) is a type of differential gear train that allows its two output shafts to rotate at different speeds but limits the maximum difference between the two shafts. Limited-slip differentials are often known by the generic trademark Positraction, a brand name owned by General Motors and originally used for its Chevrolet branded vehicles.
A drive shaft, driveshaft, driving shaft, tailshaft, propeller shaft, or Cardan shaft is a component for transmitting mechanical power, torque, and rotation, usually used to connect other components of a drivetrain that cannot be connected directly because of distance or the need to allow for relative movement between them.
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 offers similar hybrid transmissions to other car companies.
The Hyundai Grandeur is an executive sedan manufactured and marketed by the South Korean manufacturer Hyundai since 1986, over five generations.
Hybrid vehicle drivetrains transmit power to the driving wheels for hybrid vehicles. A hybrid vehicle has multiple forms of motive power.
The Kia Soul is a subcompact crossover SUV manufactured and marketed by Kia since 2008. Often described and marketed as a crossover since its introduction, the Soul is a hatchback with a box proportion and tall roof, which are designed to maximize its interior space. Despite its SUV-like styling, the Soul was never available with all-wheel drive, instead it is exclusively a front-wheel drive vehicle.
The Kia Telluride is a mid-size crossover SUV with three-row seating manufactured and marketed by Kia since 2019. Positioned above the smaller Sorento, the Telluride was previewed as a concept car in 2016, with the production model debuting in the spring of 2019 as a 2020 model. It shares components and specifications with its sister model, the Hyundai Palisade, including its engine, transmission, and wheelbase. Named after the town of Telluride, Colorado, the Telluride is the largest vehicle Kia has manufactured in the United States.
The Kia Niro is a compact crossover SUV (C-segment) manufactured by Kia since 2016. It is an electrification-focused vehicle, offering three versions: hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery electric variants.
A tolerance ring is a radially sprung ring that is press fitted between two mating components to act as a frictional fastener. They are flexible shims designed to fix two cylindrical parts together. The wavelike protrusions that run around the circumference of the ring generate a retention force to provide an optimal fit between the two mating components without the need for adhesive or excessive assembly force, simplifying the process for manufacturers. They allow for any misalignment caused by thermal expansion or excessive vibration. Tolerance rings can be used as bearing mounts and as a means of dealing with torque transfer, torque overload protection and axial slip between mating components. They are often used to isolate undesirable vibration in engines and electric motors, for noise-free mechanism operation in passenger vehicles and domestic appliances, where noise reduction has become a major trend in recent years. Modifications to tolerance rings can be made to tune the dynamic stiffness and, therefore, the frequencies that can be isolated.
The Hyundai Kona is a subcompact crossover SUV produced by the South Korean manufacturer Hyundai. The first-generation Kona debuted in June 2017 and the production version was revealed later that year. It is positioned between the Venue or Bayon and the Tucson in Hyundai crossover SUV line-up. The battery electric version called the Kona Electric was first launched in South Korea during the first half of 2018 and rolled out gradually worldwide afterwards.
The Honda e is an electric car that was manufactured by Japanese automaker Honda and sold in Japan from 2020 to 2024 and in Europe from 2020 to 2023. It is a supermini with a five-door hatchback design and a battery-electric powertrain that drives the rear wheels. The vehicle is styled with a retro look reminiscent of the first-generation Civic. It was previewed by the 2017 Urban EV Concept with the production version first shown publicly in 2019.
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is a battery electric compact crossover SUV produced by Hyundai since 2021. It is the first product to be marketed under the electric cars-focused Ioniq sub-brand, and the first model developed on the Hyundai Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP).
The Hyundai Ioniq 6 is a battery electric mid-size fastback sedan produced by Hyundai Motor Company. It is the second vehicle marketed under the electric car-focused Ioniq sub-brand, and the fourth model developed on the Hyundai Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP). The vehicle was first sold in South Korea in late 2022, with deliveries in the United States beginning in March 2023.
Hyundai E-GMP is a dedicated battery electric vehicle platform for Hyundai Motor Group automobiles. It is the first electric-only dedicated platform by Hyundai. It has been used for Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis automobiles starting in 2021. It follows Hyundai's earlier Power Electric System, which describes the drivetrain of an electric vehicle, including the traction motor, storage battery, and power electronics.
The Kia EV6 is a battery electric compact crossover SUV produced by Kia. Introduced in March 2021, it is the first Kia dedicated electric vehicle, and the first model developed on the Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) similar to the Hyundai Ioniq 5. It is also the first model to be named under the new nomenclature designated for a line of Kia electric cars, which will range from EV1 to EV9. The EV6 is the 2022 European Car of the Year.
In automotive design, dual-motor, four-wheel-drive layout is mainly used by battery electric vehicles by placing electric motors on both front and rear axles and drives all four roadwheels, creating a four-wheel drive layout. This layout is made possible by the small size of electric motors compared to internal combustion engines, allowing it to be placed in multiple locations. It also eliminates the need of a drive shaft that are commonly used by conventional four-wheel drive vehicles to create space for batteries that are commonly mounted on the floor of electric vehicles.
The Hyundai Vision FK is a concept car that uses a plug-in hybrid drivetrain with both a large traction battery and a hydrogen fuel cell; the concept vehicle was developed by Hyundai and Rimac Automobili. The mid-motor, rear-wheel-drive sports coupe was unveiled at the Hydrogen Wave Forum in September 2021, an event organized by Hyundai to outline its plans to popularize hydrogen vehicles by 2040 for "Everyone, Everything and Everywhere". Power is delivered through two electric traction motors, both on the rear axle. The Vision FK can be plugged in to recharge its traction battery, which has more than 60 kW-hr of energy storage capacity, and the onboard fuel cell affords it a range greater than 600 km (370 mi).