DIRECTLY SUPPORTED ELECTRIC DRIVE WHEEL SYSTEM AND HYBRID VEHICLE

A wheel assembly for a vehicle includes a wheel drive having a housing defining an internal volume, an annular rim ring circumferentially disposed about, extending radially through, and rotatable with respect to the housing, a hollow support cylinder extending along a rotational axis of the wheel assembly, and a motor disposed within the internal volume, the motor having a rotor anchored to the rim ring, and a stator disposed radially within the rotor and anchored to the hollow support cylinder, the stator directly abutting and radially supporting the rotor. The wheel assembly further includes a wheel having a rim and a disc, and a tire mounted on the rim. The disc of the wheel is secured to the rim ring such that the rotor, the rim ring, the wheel, and the tire are rotatable about the axis.