September 21, 2023 -  Continental has entered a strategic partnership with Munich-based high-tech company DeepDrive to develop core technologies for electric vehicles. As a first milestone, both companies will jointly develop a combined unit comprising drive and brake components for mounting directly on the vehicle wheel. DeepDrive is a specialist in the development of efficient electric motors. Continental, in turn, contributes its technological know-how in brake systems and its expertise in the industrialization of innovative technologies.

Both companies see great potential in their collaboration as the electrification of vehicles makes it possible in the future to place all chassis functions, including the drive, directly on the wheel. In order to best implement the different requirements of electric vehicles, such as maximize the range while minimizing installation space and simultaneous modularity, comprehensive optimization at vehicle level is necessary.

DeepDrive has developed and patented what is called a dual-rotor, radial-flux motor that can be installed as a central drive unit or as a wheel hub drive in series production vehicles. The partnership is focusing on developing an efficient, compact wheel hub drive optimized with a view to cost-effective production. And Continental is contributing not only brake components for the joint drive-brake unit: With its expertise in industrializing products right through to series development, the company is ensuring that the motor innovation from Munich will be road-ready with state-of-the-art brake technology soon. In the first step, a hydraulic brake is integrated into the drive-brake unit. In a second step, it is also planned to integrate on the long-term dry braking systems without hydraulic components into DeepDrive's innovative wheel hub drive. The combination of drive and brake in one unit is also the first step towards a so-called corner module with integrated chassis components, such as air suspension systems from Continental, in a compact unit directly on the wheel.