"To illustrate the promise of this technology, by placing two wheel hub motors in the rear of a front-wheel drive, four-cylinder vehicle, there will be a 60% increase in torque at the launch," says Larry Burns, GM vice president of research and development and planning. "All of that torque is available instantly. This enables a four-cylinder engine to perform like a six-cylinder engine." Burns also points out that this technology could enable GM to build "some pretty exciting future vehicles that have the potential to be as quick as a sports car, while providing significant fuel economy improvements."
With the considerable efforts being made by all automakers to improve fuel efficiency and emissions these days, it's easy to imagine how GM would be tempted to bring its new motor-in-wheel technology to bear sooner than later.
