Air-Cooled Hub Motor Increases Performance of Small EVs

Electromobility Air-Cooled Hub Motor Increases Performance of Small EVs

2025-09-26 From Stefanie Eckardt | Translated by AI 1 min Reading Time

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Astemo has developed an air-cooled hub direct-drive. The 12-inch component is designed to enhance the performance and practicality of electric vehicles. The new motor can also be used in Japanese Kei Cars.

Astemo has developed a new air-cooled hub direct-drive.(Image: Astemo) — Astemo has developed a new air-cooled hub direct-drive.
(Image: Astemo)

Numerous automotive suppliers are working on gearless electric wheel hub drives, viewing them as a key technology for future mobility solutions. Together with an R&D team from Hitachi, Astemo began developing oil-cooled direct drives for 19- and 16-inch applications in 2021. However, their cooling solutions require a complex piping system, adding more weight and taking up additional space in the vehicle. This is particularly undesirable for small vehicles or motorcycles. On the other hand, air cooling is limited by the small wheel size, which restricts the potential for heat dissipation and thus the cooling effect.

Effective Heat Dissipation

The new 12-inch drive resolves this conflict with a novel air-cooling design. The entire outer surface of the rotating components is equipped with cooling fins, ensuring effective passive heat dissipation. This enables a continuous output of 5.5 kW and a peak output of 13 kW. Four wheels of this system meet the requirements placed on the drives of electric kei cars, among others.

Compared to the oil-cooled variants of larger wheel hub drives, the air cooling not only reduces complexity, weight, and space requirements but also lowers costs. The new 12-inch electric drives also feature special, easily detachable, and concentric coils that were developed as part of a Japanese NEDO-funded project. These coils are efficient, recyclable, and allow for high packing density. In the future, these coils are also planned to be used in the 16- and 19-inch systems. (se)

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Date: 08.12.2025

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