The electric vehicle revolution has spurred the development of companies specializing in In-wheel Motors. These innovative companies design and produce motors integrated into the wheels, offering a compact and efficient solution for electric propulsion. Their contributions are integral to the evolution of electric mobility, providing enhanced performance and design flexibility.
*Disclaimer: List of key companies in no particular order
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November 2023- GM has filed a patent for a system that will be able to detect and monitor vibrations in a vehicle's wheels and tires. The new General Motors patent application has been assigned patent number US 11,815,426 B2 with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and was published on November 14th, 2023. The patent was originally filed on October 16th, 2020, and lists several Canadian-based engineers as the inventors, including Anushya Viraliur Ponnuswami, Joseph K. Moore, Halit Zengin, Eungkil Lee, and Mansoor Alghooneh. The patent describes a system that incorporates a plurality of encoders and an analyzer, with the encoders providing multiple pulse train signals from multiple vehicle wheels. As each encoder provides pulse signals to the analyzer, the analyzer generates multiple pulses per revolution signals and angular velocity signals in response. The analyzer also incorporates an input phasor array representative of the pulse per revolution signals, which enables the generation of a report that can identify at least one vibrating wheel and tire in the system. As the patent points out, vibrations are a common occurrence in motor vehicles, and wheels and tires can vibrate with each rotation. This periodic vibration can result from manufacturing defects, normal wear on the tires, irregular tire thickness, or other possible reasons. As such, a system capable of monitoring tire and wheel vibrations would prove to be useful. Although the patent does not mention autonomous vehicles (AVs) specifically, it's conceivable that this system could prove particularly useful in applications where there is no human pilot to monitor the vehicle status, such as long-haul autonomous trucking or autonomous ride-hailing services.
Top listed global companies in the industry are:
The global in-wheel motor market is projected to be worth USD 49.150 million by 2032, registering a CAGR of 32.31% during the forecast period (2024–2030). The in-wheel motor is a type of EV drive system. These motors are mounted directly on the wheels to power the wheel by directly supplying torque to the respective tires. This type of motor reduces the weight and improves the efficiency of the vehicle. These motors also allow torque vectoring—the application of different torques to different wheels that can improve handling.
The outbreak of COVID-19, initially in China’s Wuhan and later across the globe, caused several disruptions in the industry. In 2020, the automotive technology and components industry reported a decrease in global sales and delayed production capabilities, owing to the rapid spread of the deadly novel coronavirus that forced governments to impose movement restrictions, adopt the work from remote environments, follow social distancing & other hygiene practices at public places, and shut down of production & sales facilities. This has resulted in piled-up inventories for the automotive supply chain and scarcity of electronic components that impacted pricing strategies. This was further impacted by the slump in consumer demands.
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the lockdown of manufacturing, commercial, and industrial facilities that delayed production schedules, raising inventories and financial losses. Additionally, the dependence on automotive sales and production directly impacts the revenue generation of electric vehicles. However, the sales of EVs in the initial days of the pandemic dropped but recovered soon with the relaxations in the movement and lockdown policies from the government authorities.
The governments and respective state governments of various countries are taking certain initiatives to increase awareness about using electric commercial vehicles to control the adverse impact on the environment and foreign exchange reserves. For instance, the International Council on Clean Transportation is working with the Zero Emission Vehicle regulation, progressive electric utility policies, greater model availability & marketing, consumer rebates, access to carpool lanes on congested highways, extensive electric vehicle charging infrastructure, access to high-occupancy vehicle lanes, and continued growth of local electric vehicle promotions. This is because crude oil prices are continuously increasing.
The electric vehicle reduces the amount of noise and pollution generated compared to conventional vehicles. Commercial vehicles offer opportunities for more transport work at night, thus reducing the burden on the roads during the day. Therefore, many electric vehicle manufacturing companies are investing in product development to cater to the increasing demand from customers.
The growth of the global in-wheel motor market primarily depends on the adoption of electric commercial vehicles among medium and large fleet owners. The high price of a commercial electric vehicle and its accessories is the most important factor of concern for fleet owners. The most important concerns of electric commercial vehicle buyers are their battery prices, battery range, and battery life, as the current battery capacity of the heavy-duty commercial vehicle falls short of the requirements for long-haul trucking applications, which prevents the use of electric commercial vehicles outside fixed regional routes. Although battery prices have been declining in recent years, electric commercial vehicle manufacturers are still struggling to make an affordable and dependable alternative for ICE commercial vehicles in most applications.
The need to replace the battery within a span of one to two years restricts the adoption of in-wheel motors in electric commercial vehicles. Additionally, their long charging time, safety concerns, and security concerns regarding battery explosion in extreme weather and operating conditions have also been restricting the adoption of in-wheel motors. Thus, the impact of the limited capacity of batteries on the global in-wheel motor market is expected to shift from high to low over the forecast period.
The logistics & transportation industry in the US is highly competitive. The rapid increase in e-commerce sales is driving changes in the logistics industry. As per the US Department of Commerce, in 2020, total US e-commerce sales reached USD 787.9 billion, a 32.3% year-over-year increase from 2019’s USD 595.7 billion. The growth in e-commerce has resulted in a higher volume of low-value shipments. In response, retailers are increasingly decentralizing their distribution centers and establishing “last-mile” fulfillment centers to keep inventory closer to consumers. This increases the demand for electric commercial vehicles for transporting inventory to the closer distribution centers with zero emissions, surely.
One of the greatest advantages of using in-wheel electric motors is that the power goes straight from the motor directly to the wheel. By reducing the distance, the power travels increases the efficiency of the motor. This shows the increasing logistic activities and the demand for in-wheel motors in electric commercial vehicles to fulfill these logistic activities. Thus, the increasing logistic activities are expected to create lucrative opportunities for the players operating in the global in-wheel motor market.
In the design and development stage, the dimensions, technology, working conditions, battery capacity, cooling type, vehicle type, motor type, and applications of the in-wheel motors are analyzed to design and develop in-wheel motors that fulfill the requirements of the customers. In the design stage, the overall layout, components, material type, size, and shape of the in-wheel motors are determined according to their application and the specific requirements of the end users. The development stage includes developing an initial prototype and its testing phase, which is done under various working conditions to ensure efficient product performance throughout the entire lifespan of an in-wheel motor. After finalizing the design, the various raw materials, such as silicon steel, copper, and aluminum, are selected. Some of the components required for manufacturing an in-wheel motor are rotors, stators, and protective covers. An uninterrupted supply of high-quality raw materials and components in the required quantity not only warrants the longevity of the final products but also affects their efficiency.
Additionally, the functionality, price in the aftermarket, and lifespan of the in-wheel motor are entirely dependent on the quality of the raw materials and components. After procuring the necessary raw materials and components, the OEM assembles the in-wheel motor according to the design, which was finalized by keeping in mind the customer’s requirements. After the assembly stage is completed, the finished in-wheel motors undergo certain quality checks to ensure that they comply with the required performance standards and work with precision and efficiency in actual working conditions. After the assembly stage is completed, the finished products are sent to various distributors and suppliers, such as independent dealers and company dealers, who work as channels to provide the final in-wheel motors to the end users. Such supply channels provide finished products to fleet owners, distributors, individual buyers, and government organizations.
The primary end users in the global in-wheel motor market are individual buyers, fleet owners, logistics service providers, and government organizations. The end user purchases in-wheel motors from the dealers. The selection of the in-wheel motor is primarily dependent on their working conditions, specifications, battery capacity, vehicle type, cooling type, after-sales service, and cost. The selection is further dependent on their applications, to which the vehicle would be subjected.
BEV, PHEV and FCEV are the segments based on the application of the Global In-wheel motor Market. The BEV segment is expected to have the highest CAGR and dominate the market share during the forecast period. Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) generally use chemical energy, which is stored in rechargeable battery packs. The battery-powered electric vehicles use motor controllers and electric controllers instead of internal combustion engines and get their power from battery packs. As a result, BEVs are energy efficient, produce fewer greenhouse gases, do not create any noise, and pollute less than internal combustion engine vehicles. Over the last few years, battery-operated commercial vehicles have gained momentum globally, especially in the US market. Major electric commercial vehicle manufacturing companies enhance the battery capacity and involve less charging time.
Air cooling and Liquid cooling are the segments based on the application of the Global In-wheel motor Market. The liquid cooling segment is expected to have the highest CAGR and dominate the market share during the forecast period. Liquid cooling is the most common method among electric vehicles. In this method, the water flows into a jacket installed in the housing and exchanges the generated heat. As a result, it achieves better cooling uniformity and lower system costs than oil cooling. However, its cooling performance is not as effective as that of oil cooling.
Axial flux motors and radial flux motors are the segments based on the application of the global in-wheel motor market. The axial flux motor segment is expected to have the highest CAGR and dominate the market share during the forecast period. The axial flux motor is a suitable alternative to the traditional radial flux motor due to its compact structure. This motor is suitable for in-wheel applications so that the transmission gear can be suppressed. Furthermore, as a vehicle’s motors often work in variable-speed conditions, the prediction of vibrations and noise of electric motors over a broad speed range is usually necessary, provided by axial flux motors.
60 kW, 60–90 kW, and above 90 kW are the segments based on the application of the global in-wheel motor market. The 60–90 kW segment is expected to have the highest CAGR and dominate the market share during the forecast period. The 60–90 kW output power range for the in-wheel motor is the maximum range used in the motors. Elaphe offers the M700 motor, a highly compact, high-torque in-wheel motor designed to fit inside a standard 15- or 16-inch rim. It has over 700 Nm of peak torque, 75 kW of peak power, and 50 kW of continuous power in a wide range of passenger cars. Some of the other companies that provide motors in this power range are Printed Motor Works, NTN Corporation, and Protean Electric.
Passenger cars and commercial vehicles are the segments based on the application of the Global In-wheel motor Market. The passenger cars segment is expected to have the highest CAGR and dominate the market share during the forecast period. Passenger cars are among the top contributors to the electric vehicles industry. This was mainly attributed to the government initiatives to enhance the adoption of electric vehicles among the large consumer base while shifting from traditional ICE vehicles to carbon-neutral mobility solutions such as electric cars. Additionally, the governments are also strategizing to minimize the crude oil imports that incur high expenditure. Furthermore, the rise in awareness of EVs that provide low-cost mobility compared with their ICE-based vehicles adds to the market growth. As a result, luxury car manufacturers are investing mainly in R&D efforts to enhance the range of distance covered by EVs while minimizing the overall cost of car ownership.
The regions are classified as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and South America. Asia-Pacific is estimated to hold the highest revenue for In-wheel motor market share throughout the forecast period. The demand for commercial electric vehicles in Asia-Pacific is expected to grow significantly due to the growing demand for electric buses and the initiatives to promote the development of electric vehicles taken by the governments of countries such as China, Japan, and India. Furthermore, the rising demand for the development of charging infrastructure and increasing collaborations between the automotive OEMs in the region results in the market's growth in this region.
Europe has seen significant growth towards EV adoptions. The European Union’s new emissions standard—95 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer for passenger cars—has also boosted EV sales as it stipulates that 100% of the fleet must meet this standard in 2021. In addition, incentive boosts by green recovery funds, more attractive EV model choices from top brands, such as Daimler AG, BMW, and Volkswagen, increased availability, and intense promotion of EVs in the region have also helped spur consumer-side demand. Another boost to the growing electric vehicle market is the commitment from Ford Motor Company to launch an all-electric vehicle line-up by 2030 in the European region. The company aims to launch its first full-line passenger EV in 2023 and then onwards to launch every vehicle to be sold in Europe to be either an EV or a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) by 2026.
The global in-wheel motor market is characterized by the presence of many local, regional, and global vendors. The In-wheel motor market is highly competitive, with all the players continually competing to gain a larger market share. High competition, rapid advances in technology, frequent changes in government policies, and stringent environmental regulations are some of the critical factors that could restrain the market growth. The vendors compete in terms of cost, product quality, reliability, and aftermarket services. Vendors must provide cost-effective and efficient products to survive and succeed in a competitive market environment.
The Global In-wheel motor Market is segmented based on Cooling Type, Motor Type, Vehicle Type, And Power Output in this report. The report is focused on various analytical aspects such as market dynamics, Supply chain analysis, Porter’s five forces, competitive landscape, recent developments, and company profiles. The insights in this report, comprise, discuss views, and predict the emerging and fast-growing segments, regions, and countries with potential for development in the Global In-wheel motor Market.
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