Why doesn't Tesla use hub motors?
2 Answers
Tesla doesn't use hub motors because the heavy hub motors would make the wheels even heavier. Here is some relevant information about Tesla: Introduction to Tesla: Tesla is an American electric vehicle and energy company that produces and sells electric cars, solar panels, and energy storage devices. Headquartered in Palo Alto, it was founded on July 1, 2003, by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning. The founders named the company "Tesla Motors" in honor of the physicist Nikola Tesla. Tesla's development history: Tesla's initial new energy vehicle startup team mainly came from Silicon Valley, using IT concepts to build cars rather than the traditional automotive manufacturer approach represented by Detroit. Therefore, Tesla's venture into electric vehicles is often seen as a story of a Silicon Valley upstart challenging the Detroit giants.
It's quite interesting that Tesla doesn't use hub motors. From a technical perspective, although hub motors sound cool, they actually increase unsprung weight—meaning the weight within the wheels becomes greater, which directly impacts vehicle handling. For example, the car may feel less stable at high speeds, and vibrations over bumps are more pronounced, affecting comfort. Additionally, Tesla places great emphasis on motor cooling, typically using centralized cooling systems. The limited space in the wheel hub makes heat dissipation difficult to manage, increasing the risk of overheating and failure. Maintenance is also more complicated, as every tire change might involve the motor components. Tesla currently uses axle-driven or central motor setups, which offer better overall balance, higher reliability, and avoid these minor issues. I think they might consider hub motors in the future when the technology matures, but for now, they prioritize stability to ensure driving safety and long-term durability.
