Hyundai Motor plans to convert the power system of electric buses from an in-wheel motor, which is currently under controversy over defects, to a regular electric motor, starting with new electric buses that will be released in March next year, the etnews reported on Sept. 14.
Since its first electric bus "Elec-city" in 2018, Hyundai has been applying the in-wheel motor. The in-wheel motor is a next-generation driving system developed by Hyundai Motor, Hyundai Rotem, Hyundai Dymos and the Korea Automotive Research Institute as a national project of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy for five years from 2010 to 2014.
Unlike in the past, which drives two rear wheels with one electric motor, the motor is mounted on each wheel. It can maximize independent control effect of each wheel and minimize power transfer devices such as shafts and differential gear, and reduce weight of vehicles. The miniaturized motor also provides a pleasant driving performance with little noise and vibration.
According to industry sources, Hyundai Motor's in-wheel motor has been under constant controversy since the beginning of the market debut for wear of rotors and dissimilarity phenomenon.
The gear of the moderator in the in-wheel motor was not working smoothly, resulting in metal powder caused by wear or dissimilarity. In some vehicles, this phenomenon was repeated, causing the vehicle to stop while driving.
In the end, Hyundai Motor recalled 253 electric buses "Elec-city" produced and sold between November 20, 2018 and February 28, 2020. It was reported that the company decided not to install the in-wheel motor because it could not solve the root cause of the defect.
Market watchers said that Hyundai Motor carried out free repairs due to faulty Elec-city in-wheel motors, but it seems to fail to find a solution, deciding to install general electric motors at new electric bus models to be released next year.
