Donut Lab "Hole-y" Motors Are the Future of EVs
Image Credit: Donut Lab.
Flying cars, cars that change color, cars that drive themselves (sometimes into walls)? Nope, nothing quite prepared me for this. Imagine my surprise when I stumbled upon Donut Lab's motors with a hole in the middle. That's right. Like a donut. Or a bagel. Or a delicious onion ring... okay, I'll stop.
These motors are a sight to behold. And they're not a gimmick. Donut Lab claims these "hole-y" wonders are the future of electric propulsion, offering more power and torque in a smaller, lighter package. I'm usually about as trusting of such claims as a politician promising lower taxes, but I have to admit, the specs are pretty impressive.
Image Credit: Donut Lab.
Their flagship motor, designed for automotive applications, weighs a measly 88 lbs. But it pumps out 845 hp and 3,172 lb-ft of torque. That's ridiculous. This thing is designed to fit inside a 21" wheel, and with four of those, you'd have a beast of a car with 3,380 horsepower and enough torque to stop the Earth spinning.
In-wheel motors, like the ones Donut Lab is producing, have historically suffered from a problem called "unsprung mass." Basically, it means having a heavy motor directly attached to the wheel can make the ride a bit... bumpy. Try riding a unicycle over a cobblestone street after a few too many pints down at the pub and you'll understand.
But Donut Lab assures us that their motors are so light that the unsprung mass is "insignificant." They even go so far as to call it "imperceptible." Well, I'll be the judge of that. I've been promised flying cars before, I'm still waiting for my jetpack to arrive, and 88 lbs is far from insignificant. But it is a technicality that can be resolved with some clever engineering and beefed-up suspension components.
Image Credit: Donut Lab.
There's a huge reason to be optimistic. Donut Lab isn't just some fly-by-night operation run by a bunch of college kids with more brain cells than common sense. They're an offshoot of Verge Motorcycles, a company that's already putting these "hole-y" motors to good use in their electric motorcycles. So, they've got some skin in the game, which is always a good sign.
But the benefits of these motors don't stop at power and weight. By eliminating the need for traditional transmission components like driveshafts and axles, Donut Lab's motors can simplify vehicle design, and reduce costs.
Image Credit: Donut Lab.
It turns out that the automotive world is just the tip of the iceberg. Donut Lab has plans to develop motors for everything from drones to semi-trucks to aircraft. They even are looking at marine applications.
And just when I thought things couldn't get any weirder, I stumbled upon a picture of one of the first projects using Donut Lab's motors: the Oruga Unitrack. It's a cross between a motorcycle and a tank, with a dash of Mad Max thrown in for good measure. It's the kind of vehicle that makes you want to grow a handlebar mustache, shave your head, and scream "WITNESS ME!" at the top of your lungs. Just kidding.
Image Credit: Donut Lab.
Oh boy. Donut Lab's "hole-y" motors. Are they the future of EVs? They're certainly shaking things up. When someone combines two of my favorite things - electric motor and a donut - into one marvelous contraption, I know the world will be fine. I'm already trying to figure out how I can squeeze one of those motors into my Sportster…
