Michelin have revealed a new kind of wheel, its still round but now incorporates a 30kw (40 horses power) motor, brakes and suspension system. All you have to do is bolt four of them onto an old tin bath and you have a working car.
The suspension unit uses a clever mix of springs and fully active computer controlled actuators that react in 0.003 s to provide excellent handling and refinement, or so they say, as well as providing active roll and pitch control so that there is no need for anti-roll bars and it wont dive under braking. Combining all these systems into one unit helps to minimize weight making the car lighter but leaving the un-sprung mass virtually unchanged.
The up shot of all this is that it leaves much more space in the car for people, luggage and batteries. It allows anyone to design a car without having to know about suspension and drive train technology, you just bolt the units on where you think they look nice!
And its no pipe dream either, its actually in production and will power two wheels on the forthcoming Heuliez Will and has been fitted to all 4 wheels on the concept Venturi Voltage giving it 160bhp.
Now personally I cant see why you would stop at 4 wheels, a nice sporty 6x6 with 240bhp sounds like fun, and how about a powered off road trailer for your 4x4? What could possibly go wrong..