Patent ID: 6880654

Claim:
A motor vehicle having a plurality of traction wheels ( 10 a ) and a plurality of steerable wheels ( 10 b ) suitable for travel along a roadway, the motor vehicle characterized in that it comprises: a distributed motor system comprising a plurality of electric drive motors ( 12 ) each coupled to a respective traction wheel ( 10 a ), each responsive to a respective drive power; a controller ( 13 ), responsive to a signal indicating a desired speed or a desired change to or from a reverse direction of travel, further responsive to a source of electrical power, and further responsive to a tachometer signal indicating a rotational speed of a wheel ( 10 a 10 b ) or of one of the electric drive motors ( 12 ), for providing the respective drive power for each of the plurality of electric drive motors ( 12 ) so as to control the speed of the motor vehicle according to the signal indicating a desired speed or a desired change to or from a reverse direction of travel; and means for controllably repositioning at least one of the wheels ( 10 a 10 b ) closer to or farther from at least one of the other wheels ( 10 a 10 b ); wherein at least one electric drive motor ( 12 ) is included in a motor box ( 12 a ) also including a gear box ( 11 a ) coupled to a respective traction wheel ( 10 a ), wherein the motor box ( 12 a ) is shock-mounted to the vehicle.