BMW’s Startup Garage and Munich-based company DeepDrive are set to road-test a revolutionary electric motor that features dual rotor technology and is expected to enable super-efficient, powerful drives that offer plenty of range. Several versions of the new drive will be installed in BMW Group models and their handling tested on the road.
DeepDrive’s innovative concept more or less 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. The technology can also be used in a traditional, centralised drive system, where a central motor block powers the vehicle.
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BMW was the first major manufacturer to discover DeepDrive and has been intensifying collaborations with the company since 2021. ‘DeepDrive’s prototype parts largely exceeded our specifications,’ said Karol Virsik, head of research vehicle concepts and technologies at the BMW Group. ‘That’s really unusual at such an early stage and with a completely new technology.’
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.’
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DeepDrive is now collaborating with other manufacturers and major suppliers, including Continental. In 2024, its motor concept was honoured with the German Innovation Award. ‘Collaborating with BMW gave us a springboard really early on,’ said Felix Pörnbacher, 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.’
BMW Startup Garage operates as a venture client, implementing ground-breaking technologies developed by start-ups and enhancing the BMW Group’s capabilities in innovation, sustainability and operational performance. The 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 start-ups. We then carry on working with the best of them,’ said Virsik. ‘Start-ups are really important to us because they think unconventionally and out-of-the-box. They give us new perspectives.’