Michelin Active Wheel System

[RAN]

From MotorAuthority.com: (http://www.motorauthority.com/michelins-active-wheel-technology-in-detail.html)

Michelin’s Active Wheel technology in detail (http://www.motorauthority.com/michelins-active-wheel-technology-in-detail.html)

Posted Sun Oct 5 2008 8:02 AM by Viknesh Vijayenthiran


http://www.motorauthority.com/content/thumbs/m/i/michelin_active_wheel_main630-1005-636x360.jpg Active Wheel system is still years away from commercialization says Michelin
http://motorauthority.com/openx/www/delivery/avw.php?zoneid=12&cb=INSERT_RANDOM_NUMBER_HERE&n=ae9efa10 (http://motorauthority.com/openx/www/delivery/ck.php?n=ae9efa10&cb=INSERT_RANDOM_NUMBER_HERE)
Michelin’s Active Wheel technology has been around for the past couple of years but actual applications of the electronic powertrain and handling management system are still hard to come by. Over the years the technology has been showcased in a number of concepts, and at this week’s Paris Motor Show Michelin unveiled the latest generation of its innovative design in the new Volage electric roadster concept (http://www.motorauthority.com/venturi-and-michelin-build-all-electric-volage-concept.html) from Monaco’s Venturi.

The Active Wheel is essentially a standard wheel that houses a pair of electric motors. One of the motors spins the wheel and transmits power to the ground, while the other acts as an active suspension system to improve comfort, handling and stability. The system is designed for battery or fuel-cell powered electric vehicles, and the technology is such that a vehicle equipped with it will no longer need any gearbox, clutch, transmission shaft, universal joint or anti-roll bar.

Active Wheel’s compact drive motor and integrated suspension system has also enabled designers to fit a standard brake disc between the motors, which means the braking, drive and suspension components are all fitted within the single wheel.

Depending on the amount of power or type of usage desired, a given vehicle may feature up to four Active Wheels for AWD traction. The system also allows torque from the motors to be electronically controlled for each individual wheel independently. The results are similar to the effects of an active differential, allowing a vehicle with Active Wheel technology to make much faster turns in poor conditions than traditional shaft-driven vehicles.

For the suspension, an electric motor controls an actuator connected to a damping system with varying levels of firmness. This unique system features extremely fast response time—just 3/1000ths of a second and all pitching and rolling motions are automatically corrected.

One final benefit of Active Wheel technology is the advantages in passive safety. Since there is no need for a traditional engine in the front of the vehicle, this area can now be entirely dedicated to impact absorption.

Michelin first began development on its Active Wheel more than 12 years ago but is yet to announce when the first commercial applications of the technology will be available. Meanwhile, Venturi’s Volage Concept, which utilizes four Active Wheels, has been confirmed for production in 2012, although it’s not clear if the final production version will share the same features as the concept.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
For more info, click the link at top.

[MVRacing]

Now that is some cool technology... even better than the hub motors because all the suspension is also in-wheel. Beautiful!!
Thanks RAN

[RAN]

I can see 4 of these sitting in a Boxster with my name on em! :wave:

A French company is planning to use them on a car called the Heuliez, due to hit fleet service in 2010 and the general public in 2011. This car is not priced in exoticar territory, as they're looking at a price range of $27k to $34k.

The only question I have is whether this system can be adapted to an existing design or not.

[MVRacing]

...The only question I have is whether this system can be adapted to an existing design or not.


Hey RAN, I wouldn't think so. You would need to eliminate all of the vehicles suspension and bring new stiff framework out to the wheel mount points. Look at the photos of the frame on the Heuliex thread.

[westonlgray]

It is a neat concept. Maybe the v2 will be able to use 2 of these in the back. With such a light vehicle as the V1, this should mean that the units could be pretty light, or maybe better that they could give the V2 some performance when it was really desired.

I would think that the V2 would be the perfect vehicle to use these with because you probably wouldn't drive it in the snow/salt, so there would be far less corrosion worries than a typical car.

[AZEqualizer]

Edmunds GreenCarAdvisor (http://blogs.edmunds.com/greencaradvisor/2009/02/valeo-and-michelin-partner-to-make-all-electric-and-plug-in-hybrid-electric-cars.html)hadd this to say:

http://blogs.edmunds.com/greencaradvisor/assets_c/2008/12/Michelin-Active-Wheel-1200x-thumb-400x262.jpg

Automotive-components supplier Valeo announced today that it's partnered with tire maker and fellow French company Michelin to develop and produce all-electric and plug-in hybrid electric cars.
The announcement comes less than three months after Michelin said its revolutionary Active Wheel technology (http://blogs.edmunds.com/greencaradvisor/2008/12/michelin-to-commercialize-active-wheel-technology-to-appear-in-2010-cars.html), featuring dual electric motors mounted inside wheels that not only propel a car but also control the suspension, will be implemented in electric vehicles produced by French automaker Heuliez starting in 2010.
"We will develop a powertrain system and the car will be built around it," Valeo CEO Thierry Morin said this morning.
Morin said the companies hope to build a "French champion" in the electric-car sector. The companies are seeking an automaker to join a consortium that will build vehicles around Michelin's Active Wheel technology.
"We may team up with a French firm or it may be a Germany company," Morin said during a press conference after announcing the company's 2008 financial results. "What's really interesting is the know-how Michelin has developed."
Paris-based Valeo is one the world's top auto suppliers and Michelin, of Clermont-Ferrand in central France, is a leading tire maker.

[RAN]

It can't come soon enough. Viva la revolution! v:i:c:t;o;ry1)

[tugboatwilly]

I am wondering how many horses per wheel? With a couple bolted to the front or back of a 12K Smart Car maybe get the milage up to 200 per charge? What would these do to one of the old Scarab racers? In fact I can see another boom in many types of classic car retools. Please e-mail me a response.

[MikeB]

I am wondering how many horses per wheel?

It's a 30kW traction motor, which works out to 40 horses per wheel.

[Hoosier]

How are the RPM's controlled? 2 separate motors, (or 4 if it's a car) how do they keep each wheel in sync with the others so exactly? What happens if there's a malfunction with one of the motors while at speed?And lastly, how well protected are those motors from the elements (moisture) sitting that close to the action?

Cool if they have all that covered, but I can see issues otherwise.

[MVRacing]

Just love the simplicity of the chassis when all the suspension and drive units are in the hubs!!! No transmission, no drive line, no brake lines or master cylinders, no A arms/shocks/springs, no sway bars, no axles etc, etc. Sure wish I could get my hands on 4 of those units!!! Or even 3 =y:


http://flytheroadclub.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=859&stc=1&d=1243783473


Prince of Monaco test drives the all-electric Venturi Volage (http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/05/30/prince-of-monaco-test-drives-the-all-electric-venturi-volage/)

by Xavier Navarro (http://www.autobloggreen.com/bloggers/xavier-navarro/) on May 30th 2009 at 4:34PM
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autobloggreen.com/media/2009/05/sas-albert-dans-volage-grande.jpgAs you know, Monaco wants to position itself as one of the leading EV countries (http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/11/21/live-in-luxury-and-drive-electric-monaco-to-have-nationwide-ev/) in the world. Of course, the country's small size helps keep range anxiety in check. HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco enjoyed himself during the Grand Prix de Monaco last weekend when the Venturi Volage (http://www.venturivolage.fr/) was in town. The car, which is the result of Venturi's collaboration with Michelin (http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/09/13/paris-preview-venturi-and-michelin-to-unveil-electric-vehicle-c/), is an electric sports car that uses Michelin's Active Wheel. (http://www.autobloggreen.com/tag/michelin+active+wheel/) Prince Albert II drove the car along the urban circuit set up for the race.

Gallery: Venturi Volage (http://www.autobloggreen.com/photos/venturi-volage-1/)


http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autobloggreen.com/media/2008/12/michelin-active-wheel_019_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autobloggreen.com/photos/venturi-volage-1/1195033/)
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autobloggreen.com/media/2008/10/venturi-volage18_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autobloggreen.com/photos/venturi-volage-1/1070909/)
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autobloggreen.com/media/2008/10/venturi-volage5_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autobloggreen.com/photos/venturi-volage-1/1070895/)
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autobloggreen.com/media/2008/10/venturi-volage4_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autobloggreen.com/photos/venturi-volage-1/1070894/)
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autobloggreen.com/media/2008/10/venturi-volage8_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autobloggreen.com/photos/venturi-volage-1/1070899/)
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autobloggreen.com/media/2008/10/venturi-volage1_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autobloggreen.com/photos/venturi-volage-1/1070891/)

More photos in the article at Autobloggreen. Also check out the Volage site in the article!

[MVRacing]

Can anyone translate the specs?

[RAN]

I can't translate most of the specs, but let's call them Good Enough and I'd love to see one of these in my driveway! (ok, I'm looking up the translations)

Each wheel can produce almost 75HP for a total of almost 300 HP. Total torque, however, is about 171 lbs/ft for all 4 wheels together.

0-62 MPH in under 5 seconds.

Range at 56 MPH = right at 200 miles

Top Speed is 93.2 MPH

Total weight = 2370 lbs.

Uhhhh..... I'll take one! As long as it's less $$ than the Fetish.

[AZEqualizer]

Go here (http://www.venturivolage.fr/gtlight.html)and click on the English version.

[MVRacing]

Go here (http://www.venturivolage.fr/gtlight.html)and click on the English version.

Aze, That link gets me to an english version of the corporate home page, but any link I follow to the Volage is still in French ... am I missing something?
Thanks

[RAN]

Are there any specs I missed???????? I converted every one I saw.

[MVRacing]

Are there any specs I missed???????? I converted every one I saw.

No RAN, you hit all the specs I saw,thanks. I was wanting to read the rest of the info about the vehicle. AZE's new link got me to an english version of the company home page, but everytime I tried a link for the vehicle it was back to french.

[Mike kZ]

This site will translate: http://babelfish.yahoo.com/

[AZEqualizer]

When I went to the link I posted and hit the English tab- it is all in English including the specs but it is a flash plug in so it is difficult to grab stuff off of it. Don't know why it doesn't show up that way for you:confused: