In-wheel motors are not something entirely new; however, implementing the technology is not without its share of challenges. On the one hand, it's difficult to coordinate motors that have no mechanical connection to each other. On the other hand, electric motors are designed to spin much faster than the wheels in order to generate the desired power - adding complexity while decreasing efficiency. But not anymore, thanks to The Netherlands-based company e-Traction, which has developed a new kind of hybrid bus that uses in-wheel electric motors to improve efficiency and a GPS system to reduce pollution in congested areas of a city.

Largely due to its in-wheel motors, the bus can travel twice as far as a conventional bus on a liter of diesel, says Arend Heinen, who is both an engineer and spokesperson for the company. That translates into a reduction in fuel consumption of 50%. The company has contracts to retrofit seven commercial buses with its technology, with the first to be completed next month.

 

e-Traction's design saves fuel by capturing energy from braking, using it to generate electricity that can later be employed for acceleration. The in-wheel motors confer additional savings by eliminating the need for a transmission, differential, and related mechanical parts. That reduces both the overall weight of the bus and energy losses due to friction. The in-wheel motors can also improve traction by allowing precise control over each wheel, and they allow for greater flexibility in vehicle design since there is no need to mechanically link the wheels to an engine.

 

The bus also incorporates a GPS-based system that changes the way the bus operates in very crowded areas. In ordinary operations, the generator cycles on and off, keeping the battery at an optimal state of charge. But when the GPS system senses that the bus has entered an area of the city that usually sees a lot of traffic, the generator switches off to reduce emissions.

 

In addition to hybrid buses, e-Traction is working on hybrid garbage trucks and is retrofitting a Mercedes G SUV in an effort to move into the passenger-car market.

 

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