An electric vehicle tech startup called Donut Lab has just revealed something tasty for automakers. It’s a new electric motor called the Donut Motor that promises more than just 845 horsepower from an 88-pound package. That’s more power in a single motor than an Ioniq 5 N has in its entire powertrain. Donut says that it has a full-system solution that can help car companies develop their cars more quickly and more harmoniously, making everything faster, cheaper, and better.
Big promises, but the Donut Motor’s horsepower, along with an incredible quoted torque output of 3,171 lb-ft, is an amazing feat. It would make it far more power and torque-dense than anything else currently available, including Koenigesgg’s backpack-sized Quark motor.
New Motor Promises All Of The Torque
Before you get too excited about that torque figure, we’ll point out that it (and all of the figures in this story) is an at-the-road number. So it’s higher than you’d expect to see and not directly comparable to a gas engine torque output.
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Donut’s motor can be direct-drive, right in the wheel, getting rid of the final drive that current electric cars still use. The company says that it delivers more efficiency, as well as slashing the number of parts used and the complexity of the system. An in-motor wheel will also help the traction and stability systems work more quickly and smoothly, boosting performance and safety.
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On top of driveline savings, Donut believes it can cut manufacturing costs by using less material and by delivering complete solutions. Because the motor is in the wheel and is just 88 pounds, it reduces unsprung mass. That’s weight that hurts ride and handling, promising that a vehicle with these motors could deliver improvements there.
Full Family Of Motors Coming, Covering Drones To Semis
The plan is for more, with five motors revealed at the Consumer Electronics Show, including the 21-inch model with 845 hp and 3,171 lb-ft for cars and light trucks. There is a 17-inch model for motorcycles and a planned 21-inch model for semi trucks producing 268 hp and 2,212 lb-ft. That doesn’t sound like a lot until you remember that a semi-truck could have six or more motors. Lastly, there are smaller motors for scooters and a tiny one for use in drones.
Power outputs are preliminary estimates. The final product could make less, especially when automotive-grade reliability comes into play. Plus, we’re not sure how many automakers are looking for 1,680 horsepower worth of electric car motors (you need one in both front or both rear tires to avoid going in circles) for their typical vehicles.
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In-wheel motors have been full of promise for years now – Porsche started working on it 125 years ago – but heavy weight and low output meant that they didn’t get much traction. Donut Lab has already put one of its motors into production, while Finnish company Verge builds motorcycles based around a hubless motor that makes 107 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque, so the technology is only getting better with each passing year.
