Surrey’s Protean Electric unveils latest in-wheel motor tech

Protean Electric, a Surrey firm developing in-wheel motor (IWM) technology for passenger cars, light commercial vehicles (LCVs) and future transport, has launched its latest product.

The company says its ProteanDrive Generation 5 Pd18 IWM, or Gen 5, delivers better performance, scalability and affordability, marking ‘a significant advancement’.

It features a fully integrated inverter housed within an 18-inch wheel package, and can be configured to a range of wheel sizes, torque and power capabilities.

Production started in Q3 2023 in Tianjin China, with shipments now dispatched to OEMs and mobility manufacturers worldwide – including BEDEO and ConMet.

Andrew Whitehead, CEO of Protean Electric, said: “In-wheel motors are a critical component to the future of the electric vehicle industry.

“The availability of an industrialised Pd18 positions Protean Electric at the forefront of the market.

“This technology will allow vehicle manufacturers to adopt in-wheel-motors at scale and at an affordable price, as they seek to differentiate their product offering in an increasingly crowded electric vehicle market.”