Muenchen, 04.09.2023 Partnerschaft Continental mit DeepDrive
Matthias Matic, head of Continental’s Safety and Motion business area (middle) with the co-founders and managing directors of DeepDriveStefan Ender (left) and Felix Poernbacher (right).
- New component could revolutionize vehicle electrification
- Matthias Matic, head of Continental’s Safety and Motion business area: “With DeepDrive,
we have gained a strong partner. The electric motors developed by DeepDrive extend
the range of electric vehicles. They are lighter, more economical, and more resource
efficient.” - Felix Poernbacher, co-founder and managing director of DeepDrive: “The strategic
partnership with Continental makes it possible to combine our drive system with the
brake technology needed to create an innovative electric component essential to the
mobility of tomorrow.”
Frankfurt/Munich, Germany, October 5, 2023. Continental has entered a strategic partnership with
Munich-based high-tech company DeepDrive to develop core technologies for electric vehicles. As
a first milestone, both companies will jointly develop a combined unit comprising drive and brake
components for mounting directly on the vehicle wheel. DeepDrive is a specialist in the
development of efficient electric motors, with many years of experience in large-scale automobile
production. Continental, in turn, contributes its technological know-how in brake systems and its
expertise in the industrialization of innovative technologies.
“With DeepDrive, we have gained a strong partner with whom we can jointly and sustainably
advance the market penetration of electric mobility,” says Matthias Matic, head of Continental’s
Safety and Motion business area. “The electric motors developed by DeepDrive extend the range
of electric vehicles. They are lighter, more economical, and more resource efficient. Combining all
that with our efficient, high-performance brake technology to produce a new, compact unit is a
decisive contribution to the success of electric mobility. What belongs together grows together
here.”
“We are convinced that the development of our dual-rotor motor will revolutionize the electrification
of motor vehicles,” says Felix Poernbacher, co-founder and managing director of DeepDrive. “The
strategic partnership with Continental makes it possible to combine our drive system with the brake
technology needed to create an innovative electric component essential to the mobility of
tomorrow. The soaring demand for such technology demonstrates that this is the right way to go.”
Both companies see great potential in their collaboration as the electrification of vehicles makes it
possible in the future to place all chassis functions, including the drive, directly on the wheel. In
order to best implement the different requirements of electric vehicles, such as maximize the range
while minimizing installation space and simultaneous modularity, comprehensive optimization at
vehicle level is necessary. The optimal coordination of brake and drive system makes a decisive
contribution here. The integration of both elements in one unit enables a particularly high level of
efficiency in the drive and when braking. Moreover, integrated components reduce complexity
through modularization and facilitate the manufacturing process.
Innovative drive-brake unit is more efficient, more compact, and more economical
DeepDrive has developed and patented what is called a dual-rotor, radial-flux motor that can be
installed as a central drive unit or as a wheel hub drive in series production vehicles. The
partnership is focusing on developing an efficient, compact wheel hub drive optimized with a view
to cost-effective production. And Continental is contributing not only brake components for the joint
drive-brake unit: With its expertise in industrializing products right through to series development,
the company is ensuring that the motor innovation from Munich will be road-ready with state-of-the-
art brake technology soon. In the first step, a hydraulic brake is integrated into the drive-brake unit.
In a second step, it is also planned to integrate on the long-term dry braking systems without
hydraulic components into DeepDrive’s innovative wheel hub drive. The combination of drive and
brake in one unit is also the first step towards a so-called corner module with integrated chassis
components, such as air suspension systems from Continental, in a compact unit directly on the
wheel.
The collaboration between the companies was initiated by Continental’s Corporate Venture unit
(co-pace). The Corporate Venture unit also participated in the Munich-based company as a
financial investor in a Series-A financing of DeepDrive that was completed at the beginning of the
year.
Continental develops pioneering technologies and services for sustainable and connected mobility of
people and their goods. Founded in 1871, the technology company offers safe, efficient, intelligent and
affordable solutions for vehicles, machines, traffic and transportation. In 2022, Continental generated sales
of €39.4 billion and currently employs around 200,000 people in 57 countries and markets.
DeepDrive, a high-tech company headquartered in Munich, is developing groundbreaking drive units for
electric vehicles. By utilizing their patented dual-rotor motor topology, DeepDrive addresses two major
challenges faced by electric vehicles: limited range and higher costs compared to traditional combustion
engines. With DeepDrive’s motor solutions, electric vehicles can now achieve up to a 20% greater range at
significantly reduced costs, making sustainable mobility more accessible. DeepDrive is currently
collaborating with eight of the top ten largest automotive manufacturers on various development projects and
plans to launch the dual-rotor in mass production by 2026. Additionally, DeepDrive is backed by prominent
investors, including BMW i Ventures, Continental’s Corporate Venture Capital Unit, UVC Partners, and
Bayern Kapital. Dr. Peter Mertens, a respected industry veteran and former board member and CTO of Audi
and Volvo, along with Jonas Rieke, a leading startup manager and COO of Personio, also contribute to
DeepDrive’s success. For more information, visit: https://deepdrive.tech/.
Muenchen, 04.09.2023 Partnerschaft Continental mit DeepDrive
Matthias Matic, head of Continental’s Safety and Motion business area (middle) with the co-founders and managing directors of DeepDriveStefan Ender (left) and Felix Poernbacher (right).
- New component could revolutionize vehicle electrification
- Matthias Matic, head of Continental’s Safety and Motion business area: “With DeepDrive,
we have gained a strong partner. The electric motors developed by DeepDrive extend
the range of electric vehicles. They are lighter, more economical, and more resource
efficient.” - Felix Poernbacher, co-founder and managing director of DeepDrive: “The strategic
partnership with Continental makes it possible to combine our drive system with the
brake technology needed to create an innovative electric component essential to the
mobility of tomorrow.”
Frankfurt/Munich, Germany, October 5, 2023. Continental has entered a strategic partnership with
Munich-based high-tech company DeepDrive to develop core technologies for electric vehicles. As
a first milestone, both companies will jointly develop a combined unit comprising drive and brake
components for mounting directly on the vehicle wheel. DeepDrive is a specialist in the
development of efficient electric motors, with many years of experience in large-scale automobile
production. Continental, in turn, contributes its technological know-how in brake systems and its
expertise in the industrialization of innovative technologies.
“With DeepDrive, we have gained a strong partner with whom we can jointly and sustainably
advance the market penetration of electric mobility,” says Matthias Matic, head of Continental’s
Safety and Motion business area. “The electric motors developed by DeepDrive extend the range
of electric vehicles. They are lighter, more economical, and more resource efficient. Combining all
that with our efficient, high-performance brake technology to produce a new, compact unit is a
decisive contribution to the success of electric mobility. What belongs together grows together
here.”
“We are convinced that the development of our dual-rotor motor will revolutionize the electrification
of motor vehicles,” says Felix Poernbacher, co-founder and managing director of DeepDrive. “The
strategic partnership with Continental makes it possible to combine our drive system with the brake
technology needed to create an innovative electric component essential to the mobility of
tomorrow. The soaring demand for such technology demonstrates that this is the right way to go.”
Both companies see great potential in their collaboration as the electrification of vehicles makes it
possible in the future to place all chassis functions, including the drive, directly on the wheel. In
order to best implement the different requirements of electric vehicles, such as maximize the range
while minimizing installation space and simultaneous modularity, comprehensive optimization at
vehicle level is necessary. The optimal coordination of brake and drive system makes a decisive
contribution here. The integration of both elements in one unit enables a particularly high level of
efficiency in the drive and when braking. Moreover, integrated components reduce complexity
through modularization and facilitate the manufacturing process.
Innovative drive-brake unit is more efficient, more compact, and more economical
DeepDrive has developed and patented what is called a dual-rotor, radial-flux motor that can be
installed as a central drive unit or as a wheel hub drive in series production vehicles. The
partnership is focusing on developing an efficient, compact wheel hub drive optimized with a view
to cost-effective production. And Continental is contributing not only brake components for the joint
drive-brake unit: With its expertise in industrializing products right through to series development,
the company is ensuring that the motor innovation from Munich will be road-ready with state-of-the-
art brake technology soon. In the first step, a hydraulic brake is integrated into the drive-brake unit.
In a second step, it is also planned to integrate on the long-term dry braking systems without
hydraulic components into DeepDrive's innovative wheel hub drive. The combination of drive and
brake in one unit is also the first step towards a so-called corner module with integrated chassis
components, such as air suspension systems from Continental, in a compact unit directly on the
wheel.
The collaboration between the companies was initiated by Continental’s Corporate Venture unit
(co-pace). The Corporate Venture unit also participated in the Munich-based company as a
financial investor in a Series-A financing of DeepDrive that was completed at the beginning of the
year.
Continental develops pioneering technologies and services for sustainable and connected mobility of
people and their goods. Founded in 1871, the technology company offers safe, efficient, intelligent and
affordable solutions for vehicles, machines, traffic and transportation. In 2022, Continental generated sales
of €39.4 billion and currently employs around 200,000 people in 57 countries and markets.
DeepDrive, a high-tech company headquartered in Munich, is developing groundbreaking drive units for
electric vehicles. By utilizing their patented dual-rotor motor topology, DeepDrive addresses two major
challenges faced by electric vehicles: limited range and higher costs compared to traditional combustion
engines. With DeepDrive's motor solutions, electric vehicles can now achieve up to a 20% greater range at
significantly reduced costs, making sustainable mobility more accessible. DeepDrive is currently
collaborating with eight of the top ten largest automotive manufacturers on various development projects and
plans to launch the dual-rotor in mass production by 2026. Additionally, DeepDrive is backed by prominent
investors, including BMW i Ventures, Continental's Corporate Venture Capital Unit, UVC Partners, and
Bayern Kapital. Dr. Peter Mertens, a respected industry veteran and former board member and CTO of Audi
and Volvo, along with Jonas Rieke, a leading startup manager and COO of Personio, also contribute to
DeepDrive's success. For more information, visit: https://deepdrive.tech/.
