UK-developed wheel motors will propel Renault 5 to 62mph in 3.5s
29 July 2025 
Protean Electric, the UK-based developer of in-wheel motors (IWMs) for electric vehicles, says it is the first motor manufacturer to develop and supply IWMs for a mainstream passenger car. It is providing a pair of rear-wheel motors, each rated at more than 200kW, for the Renault 5 Turbo 3E, which is designed to accelerate from 0–62 mph in less than 3.5 seconds, and hit a top speed of 167 mph (269km/h). The £135,000 electric sportscar was shown to the public for the first time at the recent Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK.
The in-wheel motors – an updated version of Protean’s Pd18 design – will deliver an instant combined torque of 4,800Nm. By placing the motors inside the car’s 20-inch wheels, all of the power will be delivered without drivetrain losses, resulting in good responsiveness and high efficiency. The design reduces the number of parts needed and the weight of the vehicle (to 1,450kg), enhancing its agility, performance and delivering a driving range of 248 miles (400km) from its 70kWh battery.
The distribution of the torque to each wheel can be controlled to enhance the car’s grip and agility.
Renault is planning to build just 1,980 of the 5 Turbo 3Es.
Protean says that the “landmark” project positions it at the forefront of EV propulsion innovation. Not only does it mark a key step in the commercialisation of IWMs, but it also reinforces their viability as a scalable propulsion technology for mainstream automotive applications.
“We are thrilled to see Protean’s in-wheel motor technology being integrated into such an iconic vehicle as the Renault 5 Turbo 3E,” says the company’s CEO, Andrew Whitehead. “This collaboration represents a significant milestone in the future of vehicle electrification as it shows clearly in-wheel motors have no limits. We look forward to continuing our work with Renault and other OEMs as they seek to use in-wheel motors to deliver better electric vehicles for their customers.”
An exploded view of the in-wheel drive system in the Renault 5 Turbo 3EFarnham-based Protean has was founded in 2009 after the UK pancake motor pioneer, PML Flightlink, entered administration. In 2019, it was acquired by National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS), a subsidiary of the Chinese Evergrande Health group. NEVS had been created from the assets of Saab Automobile following its bankruptcy in 2012.
Evergrande subsequently got into financial difficulties, leading to Protean being acquired in 2021 by the Bedeo Group, a UK company specialising in transport electrification technologies. Bedeo (formerly BD Auto), founded in 2009 by Osman Boyner, has its headquarters in the UK, with manufacturing operations in Turkey and China. As well as manufacturing in-wheel motors, it also supplies inverters, battery packs and cabling.
Protean Electric holds more than 330 patents across 75 patent families.
