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Dual-motor, four-wheel-drive layout

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In automotive design, dual-motor, four-wheel-drive layout is mainly used by battery electric vehicles by placing electric motors on both front and rear axles and drives all four roadwheels, creating a four-wheel drive layout. This layout is made possible by the small size of electric motors compared to internal combustion engines, allowing it to be placed in multiple locations. It also eliminates the need of a drive shaft that are commonly used by conventional four-wheel drive vehicles to create space for batteries that are commonly mounted on the floor of electric vehicles.[1]

The layout is also beneficial to distribute available electrical horsepower to maximize torque and power in response to road grip conditions and weight transfer in the vehicle. For example, during hard acceleration, the front motor must reduce torque and power in order to prevent the front wheels from spinning as weight transfers to the rear of the vehicle. The excess power is transferred to the rear motor where it can be used immediately. The opposite applies when braking, when the front motor can accept more regenerative braking torque and power.[2]

In addition, electric vehicles may be equipped with more than two electric motors to achieve greater power output and superior handling. The first mass-produced triple-motor layout was introduced on the Audi e-tron in 2020, which consists of one motor at the front and two motors at the rear.[3][4]

Discover more about Dual-motor, four-wheel-drive layout related topics

Automotive design

Automotive design

Automotive design is the process of developing the appearance of motor vehicles - including automobiles, motorcycles, trucks, buses, coaches, and vans.

Axle

Axle

An axle or axletree is a central shaft for a rotating wheel or gear. On wheeled vehicles, the axle may be fixed to the wheels, rotating with them, or fixed to the vehicle, with the wheels rotating around the axle. In the former case, bearings or bushings are provided at the mounting points where the axle is supported. In the latter case, a bearing or bushing sits inside a central hole in the wheel to allow the wheel or gear to rotate around the axle. Sometimes, especially on bicycles, the latter type of axle is referred to as a spindle.

Four-wheel drive

Four-wheel drive

Four-wheel drive, also called 4×4 or 4WD, refers to a two-axled vehicle drivetrain capable of providing torque to all of its wheels simultaneously. It may be full-time or on-demand, and is typically linked via a transfer case providing an additional output drive shaft and, in many instances, additional gear ranges.

Drive shaft

Drive shaft

A drive shaft, driveshaft, driving shaft, tailshaft, propeller shaft, or Cardan shaft is a component for transmitting mechanical power and torque and rotation, usually used to connect other components of a drivetrain that cannot be connected directly because of distance or the need to allow for relative movement between them.

Electric vehicle battery

Electric vehicle battery

An electric vehicle battery is a rechargeable battery used to power the electric motors of a battery electric vehicle (BEV) or hybrid electric vehicle (HEV).

Weight transfer

Weight transfer

Weight transfer and load transfer are two expressions used somewhat confusingly to describe two distinct effects:the change in load borne by different wheels of even perfectly rigid vehicles during acceleration the change in center of mass (CoM) location relative to the wheels because of suspension compliance or cargo shifting or sloshing

Torque

Torque

In physics and mechanics, torque is the rotational equivalent of linear force. It is also referred to as the moment of force. It represents the capability of a force to produce change in the rotational motion of the body. The concept originated with the studies by Archimedes of the usage of levers, which is reflected in his famous quote: "Give me a lever and a place to stand and I will move the Earth". Just as a linear force is a push or a pull, a torque can be thought of as a twist to an object around a specific axis. Torque is defined as the product of the magnitude of the perpendicular component of the force and the distance of the line of action of a force from the point around which it is being determined. The law of conservation of energy can also be used to understand torque. The symbol for torque is typically , the lowercase Greek letter tau. When being referred to as moment of force, it is commonly denoted by M.

Regenerative braking

Regenerative braking

Regenerative braking is an energy recovery mechanism that slows down a moving vehicle or object by converting its kinetic energy into a form that can be either used immediately or stored until needed. In this mechanism, the electric traction motor uses the vehicle's momentum to recover energy that would otherwise be lost to the brake discs as heat. This method contrasts with conventional braking systems. In those systems, the excess kinetic energy is converted to unwanted and wasted heat due to friction in the brakes, or with rheostatic brakes, where the energy is recovered by using electric motors as generators but is immediately dissipated as heat in resistors. In addition to improving the overall efficiency of the vehicle, regeneration can significantly extend the life of the braking system as the mechanical parts will not wear out quickly.

Source: "Dual-motor, four-wheel-drive layout", Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, (2022, April 23rd), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dual-motor,_four-wheel-drive_layout.

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References
  1. ^ Park, Jim. "Dumping the Driveshaft on Electric Vehicles". www.truckinginfo.com. Retrieved 2022-04-23.
  2. ^ "Tesla All Wheel Drive (Dual Motor) Power and Torque Specifications". www.tesla.com. 2015-09-21. Retrieved 2022-04-23.
  3. ^ tsport100 (2020-03-02). "Audi Claim World First with Mass Production Three Motor EV Powertrain". leccar. Retrieved 2022-04-23.
  4. ^ O'Kane, Sean (2020-02-28). "Audi announces three-motor performance versions of the E-Tron". The Verge. Retrieved 2022-04-23.

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