It would seem electric car manufacturers are cursed with a quintessential catch 22. To make it in this world, they must advance a disruptive technology without disrupting consumers.

And quite frankly, re-inventing the way a car works while keeping it the same is a tall order.

Modern cars are functional, reliable, safe and have more creature comforts than a house in the 40’s.

They got that way with complicated inter-connected systems that resemble the workings of the game “Mouse Trap.” And, just like the board game, if you remove one component, the whole structure fails.

So here we are, with consumers wanting to move on to something cheaper and cleaner than gas…and the whole design concept needs be changed.

The result – more than likely you end up with a car maker putting together a Dr. Seuss-mobile.

And that doesn’t do any of us any good.

Though this mindset is beginning to change. And as oil prices climb higher and higher, we expect to see an acceleration of top-notch technology changing paradigms without changing consumer expectations.

PML Flightlink, a small, UK-based manufacturing firm, has re-invented the hybrid/fuel-efficiency concept by putting its wheel electric motors in the four rubbers of a BMW Mini. The result is a world class supercar that makes upwards of 640 hp.

The Mini QED (quad electric drive) can hit 60 mph in 4.5 seconds and has a top speed of right around 150.

And, by putting the motors in the wheels, PML has eliminated the need for a heavy transmission and brakes.

Being that the motor is directly attached to the wheel, there is no need for pesky power-robbing gears, and the torque is put directly where it belongs – on the pavement.

When you stomp on the stopper, instead of calipers clamping a disc, the magnets in the motor are reversed. Not only does that corral the ponies faster than Roy Rogers, it also turns the motors into regenerative chargers keeping the small parallel twin gas generator off more than on.

And think about this… when you have four independently powered wheels, the controller can dictate exactly how much power or braking a wheel gets, giving you glue like grip.

But it’s not just the performance of this vehicle that reveals the sheer brilliance of the design, it’s the feasibility.

According to PML, the MINI was chosen as the platform because of its broad appeal and iconic styling. However it is not a light vehicle and has limited space to integrate the substantial component set required for a top performance electric vehicle.

By successfully converting this vehicle, most others should be easy by comparison.

So, is this the future of electric vehicle design?

There’s no telling.

But it certainly is looking promising now that ZAP and Lotus have teamed up to develop a wheel-motored APX.

Dubbed the ZAPX, this conglomeration has almost the exact same performance characteristics as the PML Mini QED.

But, while PML Flightlink is a motor company looking for investors or a car manufacturer partnership to mass produce, ZAP and Lotus are ready to go.

They will be showing the ZAPX Feb. 3-6 at the North American Dealers Association (NADA) annual meeting and exhibition in Las Vegas.

And it might not be long after, you’ll see one whiz by on the highway…

Field Palmer