We saw a lot of brilliant inventions at Eurobike, Frankfurt but the main attraction for us was the Driven Orbit Drive: An Exemplary Gearbox EBike Motor. Driven is a completely new company, funded by CeramicSpeed, when they introduced the concept of their newest gearbox motor, we were completely in awe.
This is an all-in-one gearbox ebike motor that contains everything, we are talking about gears, electronics, and power delivery to the rear wheel. It weighs around 4.6 kg and can produce 90 Nm torque. When we inquired more about the prototype, we got to know that it is inspired by what you will find inside hybrid cars, such as the Toyota Prius. This works just like a planetary gear, they are utilized to mesh the input of combustion engines with the input of an electric motor, all of this is done to deliver power to the vehicle.
Driven has done an exemplary job till now and they are going to impress us even further. They are using this planetary gear concept and taking it beyond normal usage. Instead of using the flat planetary gear system, they will be using a rotating ball-like mechanism that delivers a variable speed but differently. Yes, we have heard and seen this concept many times, although it will be the first time it is actually used in eBike Technology. Let’s see how it works out!
According to Driven:
This is a game changer for the e-bike segment, bringing the highest level of efficiency (more battery range), a more pleasant riding experience, almost zero-maintenance, and a bolt-on solution for e-bike manufacturers.
The Driven Orbit Drive: Revolutionary Gearbox EBike Motor
We have only seen the 3D-printed model of the gearbox but in reality, the production process is much further than anticipated. Driven claims that they have a working model which is more efficient in its energy usage than any ebike motor available in the market right now. It is a huge claim but we will have to test it out to check if it is credible. They have said that their motor is 85% more efficient, and that is really exciting if it is true.
The energy efficiency isn’t the only exciting aspect of this motor. Maintenance intervals are only set to once every 10,000 miles, accompanied by an oil change. You can see for yourself that the advantages of using a motor like this are greater than what we are using today.
What else would you be getting from this motor? This system offers a much better and smoother riding experience, it even comes with an automatic mode that offers step-less shifting. With this system, the gearing system will adjust automatically, and the assist motor will complement the rider’s input. For cyclists that love using regular bikes, a manual mode will also be available.
Driven will be offering three variants of the Orbit Drive to its customers:
- Direct Drive: This system uses a shaft drive to deliver power to the rear wheel. It is their most efficient unit.
- Chain Drive: This is the Orbit Drive but comes with a chain.
- Belt Drive: This is the Orbit Drive but comes with a belt.
Brian Baker, the CEO of Driven is bound to make this motor the most unique component that you have ever seen. He had this to say about the Driven Orbit Drive:
One of our marketing pitches is – why hasn’t anyone done this? I’ve been the CEO for one year, and I do not have an answer for that. Everyone took what they are doing at Toyota, on the Prius, and at Stellantis for example – those are all flat planets and sun gears. All we did was take the planet and do that [make it that 3D orbit shape]. Now, it fits right in the middle of a q-factor, and we can get a 1:1 ratio out of the motor. We don’t have to downshift the motor, so we can use smaller motors, and so this whole thing works quite a bit better than a flat, planetary system.
As they’re going, we doubt that this is the only thing that Driven is working on. According to their CEO, they have a lot of surprises to show us this year and in the coming year.
Pricing and Availability
Since the Orbit Drive is still in the prototype stage, we don’t have official confirmation on the price tag but we do know that it will cost around $800-$1500. Most higher-end options that you go for right now cost more than $1500 so this is a big win.
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Featured Image Via Bikerumor
