Why Direct-Drive In-Wheel Control Raises the Ceiling for EV Driving Experience

This week, our CEO Gorazd Gotovac presented at the Towards the Sustainable Vehicle Era event hosted by Politecnico di Torino how direct-drive in-wheel systems redefine control potential and the driver’s connection to the vehicle.

Key points from the session:

• Why direct-drive in-wheel architecture unlocks higher control potential
By generating torque directly at the wheel – without shafts, gears or compliance – direct-drive systems deliver up to 20× faster, highly precise torque response and more torque transferred to the ground. This creates the foundation for a more natural and engaging driving feel.

• What advanced high-speed control enables
Beyond fast slip control for stable behaviour across changing road conditions, in-wheel systems also enable 3D vehicle body-motion control and even sound and vibration generation. These capabilities open new space for driving excitement and vehicle character differentiation that traditional vehicle architectures can’t match.

• A product OEMs can deploy today
Elaphe’s Sonic direct-drive in-wheel product platform is designed as a drop-in upgrade for high-performance EVs—giving OEMs an immediate path to differentiate the driving feel, not just performance specs. Response and driver engagement become software-defined attributes that can be tuned, refined and personalized.

As the future of performance shifts decisively toward software and control, direct-drive in-wheel systems offer one of the clearest ways to elevate the EV driving experience.