Dongfeng Group has submitted a patent to the Ministry of Industry and IT database in China dedicated to a rather innovative new version of its eπ 007 liftback (see video). The car is already available in hybrid and all-electric flavors, but the new one trades axle-mounted motors for a quartet of in-wheel drives.
CarNewsChina claims that this variant of the eπ 007 is poised to become the world’s first truly mass-produced passenger EV running on motorized wheels – that is, if it actually makes it into production, which remains to be seen.
The patent outlines a powertrain that consists of four SAIC group motors installed one per wheel and producing 136 PS (134 hp / 100 kW) at every corner. Their combined output comes to 544 PS (536 hp / 400 kW), same as the currently available eπ 007 EV. However, the new design is supposed to minimize power losses by eliminating all possible transmission components in favor of a quad-motor direct drive system.
The same system should ensure surgically precise torque vectoring and the most efficient regenerative braking possible, the company claims. Last but not least, moving the motors inside the wheels frees up chassis space that can go into making the interior even larger.
Like its siblings, this eπ 007 variant is sized 4,880 mm (190.6 inches) long, 1,915 mm (74.8 inches) wide and 1,476 mm (57.7 inches) tall with 2,915 mm (113.9 inches) of wheelbase. It also looks completely unchanged in the few patent pics provided.
The range and the launch date remain to be announced.
