German tier 1 Continental has entered a strategic partnership with Munich-based high-tech company DeepDrive to develop core technologies for electric vehicles. As a first milestone, they will jointly develop a combined unit comprising drive and brake components for mounting directly on the vehicle wheel.
DeepDrive is a specialist in the development of electric motors, with years of experience in large-scale automobile production. Continental, in turn, contributes its technological know-how in brake systems and its expertise in the industrialisation of innovative technologies.
Mattias Matic, Head of Continental’s Safety and Motion Business Area said, “The electric motors developed by DeepDrive extend the range of electric vehicles. They are lighter, more economical, and more resource-efficient. Combining all that with our efficient, high-performance brake technology to produce a new, compact unit is a decisive contribution to the success of electric mobility. What belongs together grows together here.”
Felix Poernbacher, Co-Founder and MD, DeepDrive said, “We are convinced that the development of our dual-rotor motor will revolutionise the electrification of motor vehicles. The strategic partnership with Continental makes it possible to combine our drive system with the brake technology needed to create an innovative electric component essential to the mobility of tomorrow.”
The partners see great potential in their collaboration as the electrification of vehicles makes it possible in the future to place all chassis functions, including the drive, directly on the wheel. In order to best implement the different requirements of electric vehicles, such as maximise the range while minimising installation space and simultaneous modularity, comprehensive optimisation at vehicle level is necessary. The optimal coordination of brake and drive system makes a decisive contribution here. The integration of both elements in one unit enables a particularly high level of efficiency in the drive and when braking. Moreover, integrated components reduce complexity through modularisation and facilitate the manufacturing process.
DeepDrive has developed and patented what is called a dual-rotor, radial-flux motor that can be installed as a central drive unit or as a wheel hub drive in series production vehicles. The partnership is focusing on developing an efficient, compact wheel hub drive optimised with a view to cost-effective production. Continental will not only contribute brake components for the joint drive-brake unit but with its expertise in industrialising products right through to series development, the company is ensuring that the motor innovation from DeepDrive will be road-ready with state-of-the-art brake technology soon.
As a first, a hydraulic brake is integrated into the drive-brake unit. In a second step, it is also planned to integrate on the long-term dry braking systems without hydraulic components into DeepDrive’s innovative wheel hub drive. The combination of drive and brake in one unit is also the first step towards a so-called corner module with integrated chassis components, such as air suspension systems from Continental, in a compact unit directly on the wheel.
