With high-performance tires, Italdesign believes it could accelerate from 0 to 62 miles per hour in under 2.2 seconds. (Also, it features seats in the truck bed.)
- The Italdesign Quintessenza boasts the world's first in-wheel motors that are compatible with high-performance brakes of considerable size.
- The drive units are manufactured by Elaphe, a company from Slovenia.
- Elaphe also provided in-wheel motors to Lordstown Motors.
In-wheel electric motors hold a significant advantage over traditional drive units: they provide room for a more substantial battery, which can increase driving range. That being said, the technology is still in its early stages and the motors themselves are relatively large in size–so much so that no manufacturer has discovered a way to pair in-wheel motors with high-performance brakes.
But here we are.
Italdesign Quintessenza
truck.
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The Italdesign Quintessenza is equipped with the world's first in-wheel motors, making large performance brakes possible, according to Elaphe, the producer of this technology. The Sonic.1 drive unit can be installed within the rim of a 21-inch wheel and accommodate a 15.7-inch (400-millimeter) brake disc, ensuring the vehicle's suitability for on-track racing.
Italdesign Quintessenza
What's not so great is that each motor adds approximately 88 pounds (40 kilograms) of unsprung weight per corner, which traditionally results in compromised handling. However, performance should not be a problem. In the Quintessenza, the rear motors produce 670 horsepower (500 kW) each, and the front units produce 402 hp (300 kW) each, resulting in a grand total of 2,145 hp (1,600 kW).
These are still estimated figures, so take them with a grain of salt. As estimated, a high-performance tire-equipped version of this concept car could reach 62 miles per hour in under 2.2 seconds. This is also an estimated figure.
According to Elaphe, the new high-performance in-wheel motors take advantage of a proprietary traction control system that can make adjustments 20 times faster than the standard EV. The Slovenian company has also created a so-called "vibroacoustics" system that controls the inverter and allows for customizable sound profiles and haptic feedback. In other words, it can make the motors sound and vibrate in different ways for various automakers.
Italdesign Quintessenza
The company is in discussions with major vehicle manufacturers and small-scale car brands.