BMW tests double rotor wheel hub drive on the road.

Electric motor BMW tests double rotor wheel hub drive on the road

2024-07-25 From Thomas Günnel | Translated by AI 2 min Reading Time

Related Vendor

BMW wants to test a double rotor wheel hub drive in its models. The drive could significantly increase the range – and lower the vehicle price.

BMW wants to test Deepdrive's double rotor drive in its models on the road.(Image: Deepdrive) — BMW wants to test Deepdrive's double rotor drive in its models on the road.
(Image: Deepdrive)

BMW and "DeepDrive" are testing an electric motor with a double rotor on the road. According to BMW, the drive is "extremely compact", with low consumption and high torque density. This is made possible because essentially two electric motors are combined into one. That means: Conventional electric motors consist of a stator. It moves an inner or an outer rotor.

In the double rotor concept, the stator drives an inner and an outer rotor simultaneously. Because the drives are very compact, according to BMW, they are suitable for installation in the wheel hub. However, it is also possible to use them as a classic central drive, where a central motor block propels the vehicle.

BMW and Deepdrive have been working together since 2021. "Deepdrive's sample parts have usually outperformed the announced features," says Karol Virsik. He heads the vehicle research of the car manufacturer. "That's unusual at such an early stage with a completely new technology." Bench testing has already shown that the concept is basically feasible. Now the practical test on the road should support the results. BMW wants to test the driving characteristics of different variants of the drive in its models.

Other automakers interested in the drive

According to their own statements, Deepdrive works with eight of the ten largest automobile manufacturers in the world. The supplier Continental also uses the drive. In 2024, Deepdrive received the German Innovation Award for the concept. According to Deepdrive, the motor operates with about 50 percent less magnetic material and 80 percent less iron. In combination with an integrated SiC-Mosfet inverter, Deepdrive estimates the system efficiency at over 98 percent. In practice, this could result in up to 20 percent more range. Because less expensive raw material is needed, the vehicle price could also decrease.

"The collaboration with BMW was an early springboard for us," says Felix Pörnbacher, co-founder and Co-CEO of Deepdrive. It helped to navigate the corporate world and meet the standards of the automotive industry. "Now our next goal is to make it into a production model."

The BMW Startup Garage

BMW is working with Deepdrive in the BMW Startup Garage. The OEM is a customer and collaborates with young companies to further develop the technology. This model of collaboration has been in place at BMW since 2015.

Subscribe to the newsletter now

Don't Miss out on Our Best Content

Business E-mail

Please enter a valid mailadress.

By clicking on „Subscribe to Newsletter“ I agree to the processing and use of my data according to the consent form (please expand for details) and accept the Terms of Use. For more information, please see our Privacy Policy. The consent declaration relates, among other things, to the sending of editorial newsletters by email and to data matching for marketing purposes with selected advertising partners (e.g., LinkedIn, Google, Meta)

Date: 08.12.2025

Naturally, we always handle your personal data responsibly. Any personal data we receive from you is processed in accordance with applicable data protection legislation. For detailed information please see our privacy policy.

Consent to the use of data for promotional purposes

I hereby consent to Vogel Communications Group GmbH & Co. KG, Max-Planck-Str. 7-9, 97082 Würzburg including any affiliated companies according to §§ 15 et seq. AktG (hereafter: Vogel Communications Group) using my e-mail address to send editorial newsletters. A list of all affiliated companies can be found here

Newsletter content may include all products and services of any companies mentioned above, including for example specialist journals and books, events and fairs as well as event-related products and services, print and digital media offers and services such as additional (editorial) newsletters, raffles, lead campaigns, market research both online and offline, specialist webportals and e-learning offers. In case my personal telephone number has also been collected, it may be used for offers of aforementioned products, for services of the companies mentioned above, and market research purposes.

Additionally, my consent also includes the processing of my email address and telephone number for data matching for marketing purposes with select advertising partners such as LinkedIn, Google, and Meta. For this, Vogel Communications Group may transmit said data in hashed form to the advertising partners who then use said data to determine whether I am also a member of the mentioned advertising partner portals. Vogel Communications Group uses this feature for the purposes of re-targeting (up-selling, cross-selling, and customer loyalty), generating so-called look-alike audiences for acquisition of new customers, and as basis for exclusion for on-going advertising campaigns. Further information can be found in section “data matching for marketing purposes”.

In case I access protected data on Internet portals of Vogel Communications Group including any affiliated companies according to §§ 15 et seq. AktG, I need to provide further data in order to register for the access to such content. In return for this free access to editorial content, my data may be used in accordance with this consent for the purposes stated here. This does not apply to data matching for marketing purposes.

Right of revocation

I understand that I can revoke my consent at will. My revocation does not change the lawfulness of data processing that was conducted based on my consent leading up to my revocation. One option to declare my revocation is to use the contact form found at https://contact.vogel.de. In case I no longer wish to receive certain newsletters, I have subscribed to, I can also click on the unsubscribe link included at the end of a newsletter. Further information regarding my right of revocation and the implementation of it as well as the consequences of my revocation can be found in the data protection declaration, section editorial newsletter.