ELECTROMOBILITY Could DeepDrive’s two-rotor hub motor be the key to cheaper EVs?

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DeepDrive, a Munich-based high-tech company, is revolutionizing EVs with its patented Dual Rotor technology. Supported by major automakers like BMW, DeepDrive aims to launch its drive units in large-scale production by 2026.

DeepDrive, a high-tech company based in Munich, Germany, is hard at work developing a more practical, mass production-ready in-wheel electric motor. Powered by the company’s patented Dual Rotor technology, the motor promises to increase range by up to 20 % and significantly reduce costs by producing more torque from a compact and lightweight package, thereby paving the way for more affordable and sustainable EVs.

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DeepDrive’s Dual Rotor technology

DeepDrive, which was founded in 2021, is determined to create a more efficient, production-ready hub motor. The company is hopeful that in doing so, they’ll be able to both increase EV range and bring the cost of ownership down. That’s no easy feat, but the company is optimistic.

Jürgen Bilo, Managing Director of Continental's Corporate Venture Capital Unit, emphasizes this point. "After seeing the efficiency and the overall concept, we are convinced that DeepDrive will make a huge difference in the market penetration of e-mobility," he stated. Meanwhile, Andreas Unseld, General Partner at UVC Partners, points out how range and cost challenges are both “addressed by DeepDrive’s innovative solution.”

The reason for this optimism can be found in the company’s innovation: the patented Dual Rotor technology. Traditional motors run the rotor either outside or inside the stator, but the DeepDrive motor does both, placing its stator between inner and outer rotors that run simultaneously. This dramatically increases the torque and power produced from within the compact housing.

The result? Estimated torque of up to a huge 1,770 pound-foot (or 2,400 Nm) from each motor. Because the motor doesn’t need a gearbox, efficiency has increased by up to 20 % compared to today’s leading EV technologies. The company believes its motors will support driving ranges of 500 miles (800 km) or more.

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Developed with a mass production goal

The concept of in-wheel motors isn’t new and their advantages are well documented, but problems such as excessive unsprung weight and expensive production costs have held them back.

To counter this, DeepDrive has developed its motors from scratch with a mass production goal from the outset. The company says they’ll be cost-efficient to produce, use less magnetic and mineral content, and be readily scalable for vehicles ranging from compact cars to SUVs. As for their weight, DeepDrive has focused on a lightweight and power-dense motor design.

In addition to the in-wheel motor, DeepDrive has developed a larger dual-rotor motor that’s meant to be used in a centralized powertrain configuration. This demonstrates the flexibility of the technology in meeting the demands of a wide range of automotive applications.

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