If you perhaps don't look too closely, you will think that this is a picture of a normal disk brake. The first doubts arise when you discover that the brake caliper grips around the disk from the inside. That this is not a new technique is proven by the picture below of the Porsche 356, where you can see a small part of the brake caliper on the left side when you look closely.

If you grip around the disk from the inside, its maximum diameter is possible. Below you can see how little use is made of this, because the brake has to follow the smallest possible rim dimension. If you combine it with large rims, this is the result. However, the brake at the top has the disadvantage that you need special rims and their size is not negotiable in principle.

The manufacturers earn less and can no longer offer pages of rims. It would also not be enough for rim manufacturers to attach only the four fixing points to their rim bowls, because in the case of Continental, this is probably much more stable. Moreover, the largest possible rim is required even in the basic version.

Why? Because then the lever arm is so large that the brake caliper can be dimensioned smaller. Because now comes the really important thing: the brake disk is made of aluminium. The disk, not only the pot. That is absolutely unusual. In the picture below you see such a disk made by Brembo. They claim to have used a special coating.

Aluminium is a very difficult material and the brake disks shown are still experimental vehicles. At Brembo you see them in series production only for light and not too fast electric vehicles. Continental does not envisage such limitations. After all, pure electric cars are not exactly considered lightweights because of the batteries.

Of course it would be great to finally have lightweight brake disks. Until now this was only possible with the very expensive carbon. They would not only reduce the vehicle weight but also the sprung masses, which would be even more decisive for the driving characteristics.

Also, the space-saving way in which Continental's disk is suspended would free up space for wheel hub motors. However, at this point one really has to consider the limited capabilities of aluminium. At the temperature at which grey cast iron begins to glow, aluminium has long since melted.

There is another important advantage for this material. Since the disk brake is only needed in 10 to 20 percent of all cases in electric cars, a lining could form which could no longer be removed by braking. Replacement would be unavoidable. The material aluminum is naturally superior in this respect.