The BMW Startup Garage and Munich-based company DeepDrive are set to road-test a revolutionary permanent-magnet electric motor. The concept features dual rotor technology and is expected to enable super-efficient, powerful drives that offer plenty of range. After a successful pilot project with promising results on the test rig, the BMW Group and DeepDrive are now planning their first field test. Various versions of the new drive will be installed into BMW Group models and their handling tested out on the road.
DeepDrive’s innovative concept essentially melds two electric motors into a single unit, creating an extremely compact drive that’s energy-efficient and has a high torque density. In a conventional electric motor, the stator moves either an internal or an external rotor; with DeepDrive’s dual rotor concept, the stator drives both rotors simultaneously. The compact design and light weight of the unit allow for an in-wheel drive system in which each wheel hub has its own electric motor.
“All of our machines use neodymium-based rare-earth permanent magnets. The dual rotor principle reduces the amount of magnet material and ensures good cooling of the magnets, allowing us to avoid the use of costly heavy rare-earth materials like dysprosium and terbium in most applications,” says Dr.-Ing. Alexander Rosen, co-founder and chief engineer at DeepDrive.
BMW values the maturity level and scalability potential of the DeepDrive innovation
BMW was the first major manufacturer to discover DeepDrive and has been intensifying collaborations with them since the IAA 2021. Their technology is already remarkably mature: “DeepDrive’s prototype parts largely exceeded our specifications,” says Karol Virsik, Head of Research Vehicle Concepts and Technologies at BMW Group. “That’s really unusual at such an early stage and with a completely new technology.”
After a stint on the test rig, the proof of concept was deemed successful, delivering top results. The next step is to perform a real-world validation out on the road. The in-wheel motors will require less space and be more energy-efficient, lighter and less costly, making them an attractive option for a wide range of vehicle models and potentially highly scalable. “DeepDrive has developed an exciting vision for the electric drive of the future,” said Virsik. “The Startup Garage allows us to experiment with DeepDrive and work out what drives might look like in the generation after next.”
DeepDrive is now collaborating with other manufacturers and major suppliers as well, such as Continental. In 2024, their motor concept was honored with the German Innovation Award. “Collaborating with BMW gave us a springboard really early on,” said Felix Pornbacher, co-founder and co-CEO of DeepDrive. “It helped us navigate the complex corporate world and meet and exceed the rigorous standards of the automotive industry. Our goal now is to get it integrated into a production model.”
Collaborating with startups accelerates innovations at the BMW Group.
The BMW Startup Garage operates as a venture client, implementing groundbreaking technologies developed by startups and enhancing the BMW Group’s capabilities in innovation, sustainability and operational performance. The venture client model was established in 2015, with BMW acting as a customer and working closely with young companies to develop their technologies. “The BMW Startup Garage is an excellent opportunity to connect with startups. We then carry on working with the best of them,” said Virsik. “Startups are really important to us because they think unconventionally and out-of-the-box. They give us new perspectives.”
Among key characteristics of the motor are that it is a dual rotor, radial flux machine designed for high torque and power density with small iron losses and high material utilization. Noise emissions and torque ripple are low. The winding concept is distributed bar winding with slot filling factor above 80%, suitable for a simple manufacturing process. It uses 50% less magnet material and 80% less iron than a comparably-rated motor. A highly efficient SiC inverter is integrated into the machine, featuring an innovative topology with SiC mosfets. Currently, DeepDrive is focused on perfecting its system while providing sample production and testing. It aims to begin serial production in 2025. For more info, see www.deepdrive.tech.
