I was thinking about the same idea, put the motor in each wheel, that way there is no loss in getting the power to the wheels. I had someone else talk about the unsprung weight, but I don't understand how this is a bad thing. The body will still have the secondary power system and the batteries.

My idea is an electric vehicle that would win the automotive equivalent to the X-prize. I think it is $300m to the maker of a car that gets better than 100mpg. My idea is a hybrid that has the capability of recovering the energy we loose in breaking. (Dynamic breaks, with the motors in the wheels the breaking energy is turned back into electricy rather than heat.) Put what the batteries will take in charge back to them, the rest store in a short term device. (super uber-capacitors or a flywheel system like they have for really big ups's) Then upon starting, the energy is taken from the short term devices then the batteries. Or, if at rest, the short term devices continue to charge the batteries at their given rate.

Why is unsprung weight a bad thing? If you are talking cornering, that is as much a function of the friction coefficient of the tires. I thought it'd make the ride better and the suspension lighter. This is NOT an OffRoad thing, this is a get my but to work to earn money (while saving gas) to do what I want vehicle.

By the way, I'm not REALLY a car person, as much as am an electronics nut. ( In gu neers, thay can't spel but you got to luv us anywhey!)

D.W.