Self-driving cars are a major topic in the automobile industry and it may very well be the future of transportation. The development of autonomous vehicles has taken a rapid turn within the past few years owing to increased research and collaboration between major players in the industry.
And now two of such major players—Hanseatische Fahrzeug Manufaktur GmbH (HFM) and Elaphe Propulsion Technologies—have decided to collaborate, as the HFM Motionboard will now be powered by the Elaphe L1500 direct-drive hub motor.
The HFM Motionboard is an intelligent vehicle platform—currently the only one that meets the homologation requirements for an M1-class vehicle (for passenger transport) in Europe. The scalability and modularity of the Motionboard allows it to be adapted to the needs of the vehicle built on top of it, in terms of length, width and battery capacity.
This flexible nature of the Motionboard places some considerable toll on the motors which are required to cover a wide range of uses, with drastic variations in vehicle mass. Not only do the motors need to deliver the necessary torque, they also need a high level of efficiency in order to maximize battery usage.
So, considering the need for efficient operation in the Motionboard, Elaphe’s in-wheel motors seemed like a great fit, as they showcase an efficiency rate of over 90 percent, which could help to extend the Motionboard’s operating ranges.
But aside from the avoidance of losses in gears and transmission, the Elaphe L1500’s distributed direct drive via multiple wheel control helps significantly improve safety by enhancing traction and braking. The patented electromagnetic topology of Elaphe’s motors also make it lightweight, compact and scalable, making it easily adaptable to the needs of the HFM Motionboard.