Continental and DeepDrive
Wheel hub drive with integrated brake
Continental has launched a strategic partnership with the high-tech company DeepDrive to develop core technologies for e-vehicles. As a first milestone, the companies are developing a combined unit of drive and brake components that will be used directly on the wheel.
DeepDrive specializes in the development of efficient electric motors - with many years of experience in large-scale automotive production. Continental, in turn, contributes its technological expertise in braking systems and its competencies for the industrialization of innovative technologies to the collaboration.
Comprehensive optimization at vehicle level
Both Continental and DeepDrive see great potential in the collaboration: The electrification of vehicles will make it possible to place all chassis functions, including the drive, directly on the wheel in the future. In order to best implement the different requirements of electric vehicles, such as a high range with a small installation space and simultaneous modularity, comprehensive optimization at the vehicle level is necessary.
The optimal coordination of brake and drive makes a decisive contribution here. The integration of both elements in a single unit enables particularly high efficiency in the drive and during braking. In addition, integrated components reduce complexity through modularization and simplify manufacturing processes.
Innovative drive-brake unit
DeepDrive has developed and patented a so-called double-rotor radial-flux motor that can be installed in production vehicles as a central drive and also as a wheel hub drive. The focus of the partnership is on an efficient, compact wheel hub drive optimized for cost-effective production.
In the first step, a hydraulic brake will be integrated into the drive-brake unit. In a second step, it is planned to integrate dry brake systems, without hydraulic components, into the innovative wheel hub drive from DeepDrive in the long term. The combination of drive and brake in one unit paves the way to a so-called corner module that integrates other chassis components, such as air suspension systems from Continental, in a compact unit directly on the wheel.
The cooperation between the companies was initiated by Continental's corporate venture unit (co-pace). The corporate venture unit also participated as a financial investor in a completed Series A financing of DeepDrive in the Munich-based company earlier this year.
Advancing the market penetration of e-mobility
»In DeepDrive, we have gained a perfect partner with whom we can jointly and sustainably advance the market penetration of electric mobility,« says Matthias Matic, head of the Safety and Motion business unit at Continental. »The electric motors developed by DeepDrive ensure a higher range in electric vehicles. They are lighter, more cost-effective and conserve resources. Combining them with our efficient and powerful brake technology to form a new, compact unit is a decisive contribution to the success of electromobility. Here, what belongs together grows together.«
»We are convinced that we can revolutionize the electrification of vehicles with the development of our dual-rotor motor,« says Felix Pörnbacher, co-founder and CEO of DeepDrive. »The strategic partnership with Continental makes it possible to marry our drive with the necessary brake technology to create an innovative electric component that is essential for tomorrow's mobility. The surge in demand for such technology shows that this is the right way to go.«
