Finland is a very unique country, some might even call it quirky. Known for its love of saunas and coffee, and its unique National Failure Day – yes, it is a thing – they have certainly earned the title of “quirky.” This might be why a Finnish company invented a donut-shaped in-wheel engine and is currently testing the innovative engine in electric vehicles (EVs). Its power might not be under the hood, but the Finnish company declared that this unique engine would blow away all traditional motors.

The Finnish company that invented the in-wheel engine

The Finnish company, Donut Lab, gave a sneak peek of the new initial motor family with its specs at CES 2025. Donut Lab ranges from Verge Motorcycles, which produces motorcycles based on the team’s initial hubless electric motor. Now, the majority of EVs have electric motors between the wheels, but Donut Lab’s in-wheel motor could change the future of EVs.

The in-wheel motor is called the Donut Motor and is in its second generation. What makes it remarkable is that it can be used by any vehicle type, and it can be manufactured in various sizes. According to Donut Lab, the Donut Motor could significantly speed up the production of EVs. The company is already busy behind the scenes to complete some of the first projects beyond Verge motorcycles, including the cross-country Oruga Unitrack moto-mobile.

The power of the in-wheel engine will blow you away

The Donut Motor presented at CES can fit into a 21-inch loop and showed off its power of up to 845 horsepower and 4m300 Nm (3,171 lb-ft)) of torque for a density below 108 Nm/kg, with the lower-output motors ranging between 13.3 and 75 Nm/kg. The torque is anything but typical, but it is probably calculated at the wheels rather than at the crankshaft. Yet, Donut Lab classifies this engine far beyond its competition, especially since it only weighs 40kg (88 lbs). The high-density/low-weight paradigm alleviates some of the other major barriers that in-wheel motor designs face during the production of EVs.

Donut Lab also presented four other in-wheel engines with varying sizes. The one caters to semi-trucks and produces 268 horsepower and 2,212 lb-ft torque. Another one is a 12-inch unit that caters to electric scooters, producing 20 horsepower. Others include tiny 4.7-inch motors for drones with 4 horsepower, and a 17-inch engine that caters to motorcycles and produces 201 horsepower.

An in-wheel engine has many benefits

“Great unsprung mass has been the most important reason why everyone hasn’t used motors integrated with the tire in their vehicles. Through the torque and power density we’ve now achieved, the relative weight of the motor is so small that for the first time the unsprung mass is insignificant.” – Donut Lab CEO, Marko Lehtimäki.

Motors such as the Donut Motor eliminate the need for transmission gear such as driveshafts and axles, eliminating complexity, and reducing weight and costs. The in-wheel layout assists with saving space within the EV structure, which allows the designers to produce bigger interiors while lowering the total carbon footprint.

Donut Lab has big plans, including motors designed for drones, semi-trucks, aircraft, and vessels that don’t even exist yet. According to the company, its “elastic performance specification” will ensure that the power and torque specifications of all kinds of projects are met. The company will also assist buyers in matching motive power to their specific applications by using a planned ‘ecosystem’ of compatible powertrain parts, including battery packs and control software.

While the application of the in-wheel engine is still being tested by Donut Lab, the outlook for renewable energy seems promising. Interested customers are advised to visit Donut Lab’s Platform, a site specifically designed to help its customers buy everything they might need for their EVs, including the Donut Motor.