A different kind of hub-motor wheel

Orbis Wheels Inc. has a different idea about how to construct wheels so they can be powered by hub motors. The wheel mount consists of three rollers positioned around the inside diameter of the wheel via a three-sided mounting scheme. The wheels depicted here are unpowered, but powered wheels would incorporate a gear inside the rubber rolling surface. A small electric motor would sit in the wheel and drive it via this inner gear. There’s essentially no unsprung weight and because the inner wheel area is basically open, and braking temperatures are generally 20% cooler than usual with conventional disc brake rotors. For obvious reasons, Orbis calls its technology Ring-Track, Ring-Drive, and Ring-Wheel.
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