BMW to start road testing new electric motor technology

The venture arm of German OEM BMW and Munich-based start-up Deepdrive are set to start road tests of the latter’s new electric motor technology. Deepdrive’s concept features dual rotor technology that is expected to improve efficiency and range.

After a successful pilot project gave promising results in a test rig, the partners are now planning a first field test. Various versions of the new drive will be installed into BMW models and their handling tested on the road.

Deepdrive’s concept melds two electric motors into a single unit, creating a compact drive that promises both energy-efficiency and high torque density. In a conventional electric motor, the stator moves either an internal or an external rotor. But in Deepdrive’s dual rotor concept, the stator drives both rotors simultaneously.

The design and lighter weight of the unit allow for an in-wheel drive system, in which each wheel hub has its own electric motor. These in-wheel motors “will require less space and be more energy-efficient, lighter and less costly, making them an attractive option for a wide range of vehicle models and potentially highly scalable”, says BMW.

But the technology can also be used in a more traditional centralised drive system, where a central motor block powers the vehicle.

BMW hails itself “the first major manufacturer to discover Deepdrive”, although the start-up is now collaborating with other manufacturers and major suppliers, such as German tyre firm Continental. BMW has been deepening its collaboration with the fledgling motor marker since September 2021.

“Deepdrive’s prototype parts largely exceeded our specifications,” says Karol Virsik, BMW’s head of research vehicle concepts and technologies. “That is really unusual at such an early stage and with a completely new technology.”

“Collaborating with BMW gave us a springboard really early on,” said Felix Poernbacher, co-founder and co-CEO of Deepdrive. “Our goal now is to get it integrated into a production model.”

But any scaled-up results from the collaboration may be some time off yet. The partnership will likely help BMW “work out what drives might look like in the generation after next”, Virsik cautions.