By ATN
The collaboration centres on WATT’s PACES (Passenger And Commercial EV Skateboard), an innovative low-volume aluminium platform technology renowned for its class-leading lightweight construction. PACES will now incorporate Donut Lab’s in-wheel motor technology, featuring two direct-drive motors at the rear axle, with a four-wheel drive variation coming later in 2026.
The result is an exceptionally lightweight EV platform that delivers huge performance and unrivalled agility, capable of spawning multiple vehicle configurations from beach buggies to high-performance sports cars to commercial delivery vehicles. This modular approach dramatically lowers the barrier to entry for new vehicle development while maintaining the highest standards of performance and efficiency.
At the heart of this partnership’s innovation is the ability to independently control each Donut Lab in-wheel motor with millisecond precision. This creates unprecedented degree of torque vectoring during cornering on tarmac or when finding grip off-road.
By eliminating traditional powertrains entirely, the direct-drive architecture removes unnecessary weight, frees up package space and reduces complexity while dramatically improving energy transfer efficiency. The system’s real-time control capabilities provide levels of accuracy, stability, and traction control far beyond what conventional systems can achieve, fundamentally transforming the driving experience. With next-gen software-defined driving dynamics the OEM is in full control of the desired drive experience for the end-product.
“The integration of Donut Lab’s revolutionary in-wheel motor technology represents a significant leap for what PACES can offer the automotive world,” said Neil Yates, CEO of WATT Electric Vehicles. “Its motors, inverter, and software systems, perfectly complement our lightweight platform philosophy. The direct, fine control of the individual wheel speeds brings an agility and that is perfectly complemented by the low mass and inertia of our chassis technology. This skateboard can produce vehicles that will set new benchmarks for EV handling.”
“WATT EV’s PACES platform provides the perfect canvas to showcase the full potential of our advanced motor technology,” said Marko Lehtimäki, CEO of Donut Lab. “The exceptional low mass of PACES allows our high-torque, high-power-density in-wheel motors to truly shine, delivering a driving experience that would be impossible with heavier platforms. When you combine our direct-drive precision control with WATT’s lightweight engineering expertise, you create something genuinely transformative, a vehicle architecture that’s lighter, more efficient, more powerful, and infinitely more engaging to drive.”
The WATT-Donut Lab skateboard platform’s modular nature opens doors to an extensive range of vehicle types and applications across multiple segments. The simplified architecture also reduces manufacturing complexity, minimises lifetime maintenance requirements, and lowers overall costs compared to traditional electric powertrains, making high-performance electric vehicles more accessible to smaller manufacturers and niche markets.
For more in-wheel motor technology news, click here.
