Magnetics Business & Technology - January/February 2021 - 13

FEATURE ARTICLE
rently we use one ProteanDrive motor for each Roborigger unit,
but increasing demand means we are already looking at applications with two Protean motors, for even more power. "

below is Sango, its beginning concept vehicle, with Protean's
motors in the wheels.

Another of Protean's customers is Local Motors, a US-based
digital manufacturing start-up that is best known for its 3D-printed autonomous urban passenger shuttle, called Olli. ProteanDrive in-wheel motors will drive each of Olli's four wheels, providing highly efficient, quiet and refined electric propulsion. Olli,
show below, is one of the first autonomous vehicle applications
for the ProteanDrive technology and marks a significant step for
in-wheel motors, allowing solutions which the company notes
would be impossible to achieve with an e-axle.

Sango is NEVS' automous e-vehicle for ride-sharing with Protean inwheel motors inside

" We realized that, to be able to really benefit from autonomous
technology, we had to design a vehicle that would not only be
an enabler for shared vehicles, but also for shared rides. How
do you combine privacy with sharing? That was one of the main
challenges to overcome, " says Anna Haupt, VP mobility solutions at NEVS.
Inside the Olli

Protean Electric and Local Motors have been working together
for 3 years to evaluate and integrate the ProteanDrive Pd18 inwheel motor into Olli. Olli is currently deployed at 11 sites across
the US, Europe and the Middle East. Customers include city administrations, universities, start-up mobility providers and public
transit systems operators.
" We're always focused on improving the technology and passenger experience within Olli and the selection of ProteanDrive
in-wheel motors has helped us achieve a first-rate experience, "
says Alex Fiechter, VP of research and development at Local
Motors. " They are smooth and quiet. The flexibility afforded by
an in-wheel drive with integrated electronics allows for our vehicle floor pan to be maximized for our users, not just for mounting and hiding hardware. "
In mid-2019, Protean was acquired by the NEVS/Evergrande
group as part of its strategy to become a major player in the
global electric vehicle market. The owner of NEVS is Chinese
Evergrande which is one of the world's largest industrial groups.
Evergrande Health is a large conglomerate based in China.
NEVS (National Electric Vehicle Sweden) acquired the Saab
estates in 2012, and in 2020 NEVS was fully acquired by Evergrande New Energy Vehicle Group. The moves have paved the
way for NEVS to deploy Protean's in-wheel electric drive technology into its future products, as Protean continues to operate
as an independent business under the Evergrande umbrella.

The solution is Sango's flexible interior which meets differing
travel needs with three settings -- private, social and family. Depending on which setting is selected, up to six people can travel
in the vehicle.
Sango has six movable seats in three rows and is fitted with privacy walls that can be raised and lowered. When raised, the vehicle is divided into four smaller areas for private journeys for up
to four people. In social setting, the dividing walls are lowered to
allow four people to travel together facing each other. In family
setting, up to six people, seated in three rows, can travel comfortable together. The next step for NEVS is a pilot in Stockholm
where a fleet of around ten autonomous vehicles, known as robotaxis, will be used by the public.

Dan Fang
leads the
way in
China for
Protean

For Protean, it looks like the future holds growing
and extensive operations in China. A year ago, it
hired Dan Fang as general manager and vice president of operations in China. He has become a seasoned automotive manufacturing executive over the
past 17 years, most recently responsible for five
production plants of Autoliv China and devising strategic direction for it, preceded by stints with General
Motors and Toyota. Founded in 2008, Protean is
headquartered in Farnham and employs more than
150 people globally.

For further info, see www.proteanelectric.com, www.nevs.com,
and www.roborigger.com.au.

NEVS is focused on developing automous e-mobility vehicles for
flexible uses, particularly urban ride sharing. Shown in the photo

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January/February 2021 * Magnetics Business & Technology

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Magnetics Business & Technology - January/February 2021

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