Donut Lab 2025 CES In-Wheel Drive Unit: 845 HP and 88 pounds. any implications, learnings, etc for Lucid?

Impatient7536

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Here's the article: https://www.cnet.com/home/electric-...t-ces-2025-could-transform-the-future-of-evs/

A new design method for motors by Donut Lab: in wheel drive unit, 845 hp, 88 lbs.

what do you guys think? merely at a proof of concept stage? or since it's been "validated" with real numbers, it'll just need more real world testing before scaled production?

is there anything lucid can learn as they focus on improving efficiency? obviously, there are pros and cons to each design method, and lucid needs to think more than just the motor. but if the numbers are true, there's definitely something to be learned or used as inspiration for future designs, especially since this is a drastically different way/approach to motor design.
 
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheel_hub_motor#Unsprung_weight for the biggest reason motors like that haven't taken off in cars in the past. I don't see them addressing this issue.
Always good to have more research, but I don't think this is the industry mover these news sites are making it out to be. That might enable a pretty slick electric motorcycle though. I suspect given what we've heard about Atlas, Lucid is still going to be ahead of the pack for actual cars.
 
88 lbs of unsprung weight is the main issue. They'd need to scale these down to manage the weight implications in regular passenger cars which would reduce the output and efficiency. I'd imagine it'd be very useful in larger (much larger?) vehicles where handling is less of an issue, or for off-road use.
 
yah, that was mentioned in the article and is definitely the #1 challenge. im really interested in seeing how they tackle these issues. however, i've always been fascinated by those that take completely design routes while aiming for the same goal. these sort of alternative designs, since even if they face huge hurdles atm, may be huge proof of concepts that may spring new ideas that become applicable to the future meta.
 
Wasn't Peter asked about hub motors in an interview one time and he explained why they are bad for normal cars?
 
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheel_hub_motor#Unsprung_weight for the biggest reason motors like that haven't taken off in cars in the past. I don't see them addressing this issue.
Always good to have more research, but I don't think this is the industry mover these news sites are making it out to be. That might enable a pretty slick electric motorcycle though. I suspect given what we've heard about Atlas, Lucid is still going to be ahead of the pack for actual cars.
While Unsprung weight isn’t ideal true. the rule of thumb is that 1lb of unsprung mass is equal to 2lbs of sprung mass. So if 88lbs is replacing a 200lbs sprung motor, it’s still lighter and can be more efficient.
 
Here's the article: https://www.cnet.com/home/electric-...t-ces-2025-could-transform-the-future-of-evs/

A new design method for motors by Donut Lab: in wheel drive unit, 845 hp, 88 lbs.

what do you guys think? merely at a proof of concept stage? or since it's been "validated" with real numbers, it'll just need more real world testing before scaled production?

is there anything lucid can learn as they focus on improving efficiency? obviously, there are pros and cons to each design method, and lucid needs to think more than just the motor. but if the numbers are true, there's definitely something to be learned or used as inspiration for future designs, especially since this is a drastically different way/approach to motor design.
So a pothole can total your car 😃
 
While Unsprung weight isn’t ideal true. the rule of thumb is that 1lb of unsprung mass is equal to 2lbs of sprung mass. So if 88lbs is replacing a 200lbs sprung motor, it’s still lighter and can be more efficient.
Right, I was pointing more to the second paragraph there. Being less cushioned, those motors are more likely to be damaged. I don't know how Donut made them lighter, but previous attempts to accomplish the same goal used weaker materials to reduce weight. Weaker materials plus directly hitting bumps on the road does not a happy motor make.
 
There was a 2020 article regarding Lordstown EVs where a number of folks, including Rawlinson, opined on hub motors.

 
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