ORBIS Wheel

Powered or Unpowered Ring-Driven Wheel

Add Power, Not Weight

Only the patented ORBIS Ring-Wheel can claim a zero unsprung weight penalty with a motorized wheel.

This equates to improved payload, braking and safety, as there’s no appreciable weight or mass change that other systems add which may adversely affect the base vehicle’s handling and control dynamics.

The ORBIS drivetrain does not incur the payload penalties that are typical of competing up-fitting or add-on hybrid systems which compromise utility in the name of fuel-savings.

What does this mean for your vehicle?

2023 Powertrain Availability

System O120z

120 kW / 160 hp wheel pair

(2) 60 kW (80 hp) liquid-cooled axial flux PMAC in-wheel motors (8 kg per wheel)
Wheel size compatibility begins at 13″
(2) planetary gearboxes (available ratios 5.5:1 or 7.5:1)
(1) 400V / 15 kWH battery pack
(2) Inverters
(2) wiring harnesses
(1) Vehicle Control Unit
(1) Charger
Rear or front wheel fitments (front wheels increase the price)
Base price: $29,995

System O400r

400 kW / 560 hp per wheel pair

(2) 200 kW (268 hp) liquid-cooled axial flux PMAC in-wheel motors (22 kg per wheel)
Wheel size compatibility begins at 18″
(2) planetary gearboxes (available ratio: 3.5:1)
(1) 400V / 15 kWH battery pack
(2) Inverters
(1) Wiring Harness
(1) Vehicle Control Unit
(1) Charger
Rear or front wheel fitments (front wheels increase the price)
Base price: $39,995

Custom voltages and power ratings also available.

Electric Hybrid Now

Hybrid conversion has never been simpler: Swap your non-powered wheels for ORBIS Wheels and add our conversion kit for battery power. The wheels can be added to the front or rear.

Not only does this reduce fuel consumption and emissions, but improves safety via an all-wheel-drive configuration with anti-slip control, improved traction and improved mechanical braking.

Gain Without the Pain

The primary use for the ORBIS Wheel is affordable hybrid and full electric vehicle conversion.

The bolt-on design is such that you can take any existing two-wheel drive fuel engine vehicle and turn it into a four-wheel hybrid. You can also replace the engine altogether with an off-the-shelf the battery pack combined with two or four ORBIS hub motor wheels. A combination of two active and two passive ORBIS wheels can also be used with the benefit of lighter wheels and the advanced ORBIS Brake system for all wheels.

The most advanced hydrid conversion system in the industry — also the most cost-effective.

Here are the basics of the underlying ORBIS P5 technology.

Full Electric Conversion

When ready to retire the fuel engine altogether, no need to retire your fleet. Create an electric all-wheel drive from your existing vehicles, and get rid of the complex drivetrain to boot.

Not just a faster return on investment at fraction of the cost of a new electric van, ORBIS-driven van conversion also reduces embodied CO2 by 50% in comparison to the construction of a new van.

And numbers matter: conversion of existing vans can achieve scale at 25 times faster rate than new construction, achieving vital reductions in emissions as society races to meet climate change objectives.

Let's Talk Technology

There are three key technological advances which set ORBIS Wheels apart from and allow them to outperform traditional wheels.

Each of these patented breakthroughs is a milestone in efficiency, performance and cleanliness.

Ring Wheel

Hub Motor

Orbis Brakes

Merging these technologies gives us the ORBIS Wheel.

With or Without Motor

With multiple technological advances, the ORBIS V3 wheel brings many game-changing benefits to the table also in its motorless version.

The aluminum ORBIS V3 Ring-Wheel is 17% lighter than a carbon wheel and cast iron combination (in a 20″ diameter)
When compared to a carbon wheel with a carbon-ceramic rotor, a forged aluminum ORBIS V3 wheel with a NASA improved cast iron rotor has a 1lb +/- difference (in a 20″ diameter)
For an OEM, we offer a 24% reduction in mass in both all-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive configurations
Not to forget, you can always add the motor in later

Modular, hot-swappable batteries

Small yet powerful off-the shelf battery units can replace the fuel engine altogether. The batteries are hot-swappable, which means you can swap them for a charged set in situations where you want zero vehicle downtime for recharging.

You can choose the amount of fuel and emission savings that suits your budget and operational needs by using one of a multitude of batteries. Fuel and emission savings can easily and cost effectively be programmed to reach 45% net/net.

Shown here is the full eMod power unit which can be used as a base upon which to build entire vehicle architectures.

Enabling New Design Solutions

Retiring the drivetrain opens up a whole world of possibilities.

By getting rid of a lot of mechanical parts which can fail, you create space for new approaches to vehicle design.

At ORBIS we are constantly growing the family of solutions to pressing issues in transportation and delivery. Here are some of the concept builds and wheel models we are working on to bring future many steps closer.

Orbis ring brakes for sportscars

Orbis NASA technology ring brakes

Bespoke fascia options to match any style

Orbis wheels for Formula one

Concept delivery eMod autonomous vehicle

Retrofit fuel-electric hybrid delivery van

Designed, Manufactured and Tested in the U.S.

Our design, prototyping and short-run manufacturing are based right in California.

Rigorous testing is performed by independent experts in top-of-the line testing facilities and test drive ranges.

Early Adapters Reap the Benefits

In a rapidly developing world, you don’t want to fall behind.