Abstract: An electric wheel drive for a wheel body having a drive housing with an interior side facing toward the body and having an opposite exterior side facing away from the body includes a drive motor which has a drive shaft facing the exterior side. Second stage star-type reduction gear and a first stage planetary reduction gear are connected to the drive shaft of the drive motor and they are located adjacent the exterior side. The second stage gear has an outer driving gear surface which is in driving engagement with the wheel hubs of a tire. The construction includes a cooling air passage extending from said housing interior side past said drive motor first and then through first and second gear stages to the exterior side.