Reinventing the wheel: How Cyclopic’s centreless wheel system is revolutionising electric vehicles
Cyclopic has recently joined the ACT | The App Association to connect with other companies, increase their knowledge of standard-essential patent (SEP) issues and be a part of our shared sector voice. Cyclopic is a pioneering technology company that is revolutionising the electric vehicle (EV) and micro-mobility (small, lightweight vehicles) markets. Founders Allan and Carol Rallings want to change the way we travel by focusing on something common to most forms of personal transportation: the wheel. For a company like Cyclopic, protecting their intellectual property is essential, as their business model and growth depends on the success of their unique innovations.
As a reminder, small businesses and start-ups often build their products using standardised technologies to ensure interoperability with existing products and solutions. Because standards (and the SEPs one must exercise to use the standard) are so important, there is a potential for abuse by SEP holders that are effective gatekeepers to using the standard. The potential for this abuse is offset by SEP holders volunteering to make access to their SEPs available on fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms to any licensee. If SEP holders make that promise and then disregard their FRAND commitments, innovators can’t use technical standards and are essentially locked out from competing. Therefore, protecting its ability to use standardised technology is key for a company like Cyclopic.
The Dorset-based company has designed and developed the award-winning Electric Drive-System, which operates via a centreless wheel. This system incorporates driving, braking, cooling, lubrication, and suspension into the wheel assembly, allowing manufacturers to attach the wheels to whatever battery platform they like, whether it’s cars, vans, bikes or even drones. This way Cyclopic’s system creates huge options for customisation, helping deliver EVs that meet specific needs. The technology is highly connectable, making it easier for EV manufacturers to incorporate Cyclopic’s system into their designs. The suspension system is especially clever because it operates the centreless wheel producing electric height adjustment, parallel parking, a safety ditch system, and vehicle levelling.
Image 1: The inside of Cyclopic’s centreless wheel. Source: www.cyclopic.co.uk
Each centreless wheel is individually driven and can operate autonomously for unique configurations. Because they are centreless, the wheels can also turn a full 90 degrees. This feature makes things like 360-degree rotations and direct parallel parking possible, which will be incredibly useful in towns and cities. By turning the system sideways, the wheel can form the basis of a turbine for drones, taking the technology to the skies.
The company has designed and secured full grants for their UK patents and has secured international filings to protect and accelerate their technologies. Their innovations include a centreless wheel electric drive system, a compact electric bike that folds a wheel within a wheel, and an innovative fly-drive drone.
You can see what the Cyclopic system looks like in this video, and find out more on their website. Cyclopic is a great example of how small businesses can create significant and impactful innovations that improve our lives in tangible ways, like making parallel parking easier!
We’re excited to welcome Cyclopic as a member of ACT | The App Association, and we look forward to seeing centreless wheel vehicles on our roads soon!