Imagine a world where every detail of an automobile is rethought to optimize every centimeter of space and every gram of energy. This is the universe that Hyundai offers us with its revolutionary Uni Wheel. An invention that not only makes power transmission to the wheel more efficient, but also frees up valuable space inside the vehicle.
For what? Well, potentially for more battery capacity, more luggage space, or more passenger comfort. A futuristic vision that could soon become reality.
Hyundai's technological evolution
Ever since the automobile made its debut on the roads, there have been inventions that have radically changed the driving experience. Automatic starter, automatic transmission, front-wheel drive and electronic fuel injection are just a few examples.
Now, Hyundai adds a new chapter to this story with its Uni Wheel, a device that transmits power to a wheel more efficiently while saving valuable space within the vehicle structure.
Hyundai's Uni Wheel is ingeniously complex and equally difficult to describe precisely. Don't start attacking me on social media! I'll try, okay? This technology moves the transmission reducer and flexible driveshaft components, known as constant velocity joints, inside the wheel. So, it's not a motor in the wheel strictly speaking, but it works much like a motor, while not adding the weight of the motor to the wheel. How did I do?
Mechanical challenges and innovations
For decades, cars have faced mechanical challenges, such as steering angle causing stress on the rear axles. The solution? The differential, a device that sent power to only one wheel, allowing the other to turn freely when cornering. With the advent of front-wheel drive cars, it became necessary to introduce constant velocity joints to allow the front wheels to steer and absorb rough terrain, maintaining a smooth flow of power to the wheels.
Now, Hyundai engineers have thought of a better way, bringing the Uni Wheel to life. This device completely replaces the constant velocity joint and marks the beginning of a new era in which each wheel has its own motor. This video explains this innovation in detail (and certainly does it better than me).
Uni Wheel and the future wheel
In Press release presentation, Jongsool Park, Senior Fellow of the Advanced Technology Development Institute of Hyundai Motor Group, said: “We are pleased to showcase innovative ideas that could become decisive in the future mobility market.” Uni Wheel can transmit power with almost no variation in efficiency regardless of wheel movement, ensuring high durability and driving comfort.
It's a leap into the future, a promise of custom-built vehicles and a new era in efficiency too: we can't afford to continue wasting nearly three-quarters of energy. Anything that makes a vehicle more efficient is good news for the planet.
I wish Uni Wheel to go, it must be said, a long way.
