Patent ID: 7658251

Claim:
A direct drive traction vehicle motor system for a wheeled vehicle including a vehicle wheel removably attachable to a vehicle axle hub by a wheel mounting structure, the motor system comprising: a passive electric motor rotor for mechanical attachment to the wheel mounting structure for rotational movement with the vehicle wheel; an attachment structure for concentrically mounting the rotor in a fixed relation to the vehicle wheel, the attachment structure including the wheel mounting structure; an active electric motor stator mounted in a concentric relationship with the rotor; a mechanical structure coupled between the vehicle and the stator for inhibiting rotation of the stator; an electric drive circuit electrically coupled to the motor stator for exciting the motor stator to impart a rotational force on the vehicle wheel through the rotor; wherein an electromotive force is applied to the wheel by the rotor without any use of reduction gearing; and wherein said wheel mounting structure includes lug bolts and lug nuts, and said rotor includes a hub portion with a bolt opening pattern, the rotor mechanically attached relative to the wheel by mounting of the rotor on said lug bolts and securing of said lug nuts on the lug bolts, and wherein said attachment structure comprises said lug bolts, said lug nuts and said hub portion.