42176 Porsche GT4 e-Performance

[Zerobricks]

So it appears the hub has integrated motors AND LEDs, so I expect some fiber optics or such.

[Akbalder]

The lights are numbered so I guess that they will be programmable.

[dhc6twinotter]

Personally, I’m not a fan of these motor/hub combos, but the lights are intriguing.  I wonder if this will be a new type of plug, or if we’re looking at some sort of fiber optic?

Edited April 23 by dhc6twinotter

[pleegwat]

Could 3.7V simply be the charging voltage? For example, if the battery is split in 3 banks which are in parallel during charging but in series during use, that would allow the unit to be charged using a standard 5V USB connector, and still power motors at 11.1V.

[Zerobricks]

43 minutes ago, pleegwat said:

Could 3.7V simply be the charging voltage? For example, if the battery is split in 3 banks which are in parallel during charging but in series during use, that would allow the unit to be charged using a standard 5V USB connector, and still power motors at 11.1V.

No, according to the official documentation.

What scale do you expect the model to be? I think it's going to be too big for 1:16. so I think it will be 1:12 or so.

Edited April 23 by Zerobricks

[R0Sch]

51 minutes ago, pleegwat said:

Could 3.7V simply be the charging voltage? For example, if the battery is split in 3 banks which are in parallel during charging but in series during use, that would allow the unit to be charged using a standard 5V USB connector, and still power motors at 11.1V.

You can also see that the battery case is just big enough to fit one 18650 Li-Ion cell. Really weird choice and I bet these motors will be pretty weak or very slow because of gear reduction.

[Aerolight]

Some things I noticed:

 Next to the red bevel gear, there looks to be a 1 stage planetary gearbox half what is found in the existing motors, the bevel gears (and existing norms) mean side outputs but there are odd structures that could be a rear pass-through that would be better for awd mocs (though it could just be for LEDs 7 and 8)

At the other end of the drive motors, there is a piece on the spindle that locks to be for encoding 

Internally the steering motor assembly looks to be somewhat separate so expect a tank-specific hub without steering in the future

Not sure why but the bevel gears are off-axis compared to the motors so perhaps not planetary reduction?

Not what I had hoped for but better than nothing, I had lots of fun when I was younger with the power functions era version of this (until the battery pannel clips broke)

[allanp]

No. Just....no! It's as if someone said "let's take everything that makes Technic an abysmally overpriced shadow of it's former self and condense it into a single piece."

An RC with comically poor performance and masses of mechanical slop/play compared to similarly priced competitors that use proper ball race bearings and metal bushings and linkages that don't have a yard of free play and physical remotes? Check.

A build devoid of mechanical interest and authenticity, thereby removing any advantage Technic had over it's competitors? Check.

All the mechanics, including gear reduction from the motor is pre built, so there's less mechanisms for the customer to actually build themselves (which is kinda the whole point of Technic) leaving only boring body work left for the builder? Check.

Finally a rechargeable battery, that isn't backwards compatible? Check

Probably gonna be solely app controlled? Check (though this is so bad that even a physical remote can't save it. Yes, it's that bad!)

Something that probably cost so much time and money to develope that there was less time and money available to develope other things, like an actually good and true Technic alternative, working brakes for the 1:8 supercar or a fully programmable physical remote/control center 3/control center+? Check.

A build that's soooooooo mechanically simple, that has zero mechanisms to mess up, that is about as complex as a Star wars battle pack, that we still have to fill it with far too vibrant colour vomit in a failed attempt to make sure there's never ever a dreaded mistake ever made by anyone ever? Check.

A reminder that we live in a world of instant gratification, where too many children own smart devices and are spending far too much time on their smart devices and Lego has no desire to actually make this poor state of affairs any better for children, only worse? Check.

 

[Timorzelorzworz]

After many recolored parts for 42154 Ford GT, the most likely color for the Porsche might be earth blue... or the new "spacish" orange

[R0Sch]

At least they use a high quality Panasonic UR18650A battery in that plastic casing and not a cheap no-name brand, albeit an out of date one with only 2.15A discharge current. Why is the industry so slow and not recognize the benefits of 21700 cells which cost less to make and can have up to 5000 mAh capacity!
https://api.pim.na.industrial.panasonic.com/file_stream/main/fileversion/3452

And a better look at the new hub with something that looks like a USB C charging port.  Nvm, that's just the led status indicator.

Edited April 23 by R0Sch

[msk6003]

Form factor looks like MUCH worse than this chinese sh*t.

Now I can hope it has more speed, tourqe and good runtime but considering 3.6v output of battery any of that can't expect.
 

At least TLG used bigger motor which used in PF L, C+ L, spike large. Not normal FA-130 which used in PF M, wedo M, spike medium.

Edited April 23 by msk6003

[Maaboo the Witch]

"Power hole". The jokes write themselves.

[R0Sch]

1 minute ago, Maaboo the Witch said:

"Power hole". The jokes write themselves.

A "tight drive power hole" that is... :))

[SNIPE]

*sigh* why are LEGO doing this AGAIN

make everything SEPERATE UNITS because LEGO IS A SYSTEM

[R0Sch]

Made a quick mock-up and it's pretty much an XL motor in the front paired with 2x L-motors on the rear. I don't see any bevel gears to make the outputs on the sides. The size of the hub will be 9x17x5 modules given the packaging size of 95*x137x43 mm. *including battery box placed next to the hub.

Compared to the Boost Hub, which was already massive at 6x16x5, or that weird 4.5V motor w. polarity switch at 6x17x5, this one tops the charts. Instead of making them smaller, we get larger form factor at probably much higher price.

[Maaboo the Witch]

TLG can jam this thing up their power hole.

[Jockos]

Seeing this hub... well, I'm a bit speechless, to say the least. Trying to figure out the benefits. Lighting is one of them, okay. Maybe it's really good for tank steerings, so you don't have to route the cables of the motors, but they are in a fixed position. It gives a core stability to the shell (or structure, if there's any), but it's quite a big chunk. 

[SaperPL]

Looking at this abomination, I think it could make more sense if they would do something like make a hub with one servo motor and connectors for motors and batteries (plural) in a way that the battery has the form factor of a large motor. For an RC car it could be like putting two batteries for better power output - one per drive motor, or something like that, and better distributing the batteries in smaller form factor.

But this... this needs to go, don't buy it - vote with your wallets ;D

Edited April 23 by SaperPL

[Paul B Technic]

This whole thing makes me really sad :(

[gyenesvi]

3 hours ago, SNIPE said:

*sigh* why are LEGO doing this AGAIN

make everything SEPERATE UNITS because LEGO IS A SYSTEM

This!

This thing is huge and way too specific for one narrow category of products.

[Zerobricks]

3 hours ago, R0Sch said:

Made a quick mock-up and it's pretty much an XL motor in the front paired with 2x L-motors on the rear. I don't see any bevel gears to make the outputs on the sides. The size of the hub will be 9x17x5 modules given the packaging size of 95*x137x43 mm. *including battery box placed next to the hub.

The outputs ("power holes") are placed in the rear between the single holders, they are driven by red colored gears, which makes sense with the PU system. In the rear between the mechanical outputs I expect to be a usb C charge port.

[Ngoc Nguyen]

All the more reasons to go back to Power Function.

[Jay Psi]

6 hours ago, gyenesvi said:

This!

This thing is huge and way too specific for one narrow category of products.

Bold of you to assume that this will be used for a category of products.

I wouldn't be surprised to only see this integrated hub used for this one set.

[Jurss]

Most probably, few years we will receive some "sports" car with this hub, with very similar drivetrain, just different body.

[allanp]

They might as well make it in the shape of a car and be done with it. They can re-release it every wave with a different sticker sheet. But just to state the obvious, this isn't aimed at us. They probably said "the fans will hate it but the masses will eat it up". Hope we didn't disappoint!