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EV dual motors - why? - movilogo

Why do some EVs come with dual motors?

If this is just for better performance then why not add a single but more powerful motor?

We never had 2 engines in ICE cars! *

Or is it for 4WD capability?

Do the drivers get option to run 1 motor or it is both must run at same time?

Lastly, why one would choose dual motors version as this would drain battery faster

* = There are some ICE cars (e.g. RAV4) with a motor at rear axle to provide 4WD capability.

Edited by movilogo on 08/06/2023 at 06:50

EV dual motors - why? - RT

Dual motors is the easiest way to get 4wd - which is always beneficial but in IC cars comes with a cost and economy penalty - EVs may have a cost/economy penalty but much lower.

EV dual motors - why? - mcb100
Check the performance figures for models that offer both a single and dual motor option. You’ll find your answer.

Yes, they’ll run asynchronously - cruising along on, typically, the rear motor and engaging the front upon demand.

The range decrease isn’t as great as you’d think. WLTP for a Long Range Single Motor Polestar 2 is up to 335, whereas the (same battery) Dual Motor is 297 (from memory).
But the 0-60 drops from 7.0 to c4.5 (sorry Sammy).

EV dual motors - why? - Ian_SW

Why do some EVs come with dual motors?

If this is just for better performance then why not add a single but more powerful motor?

We never had 2 engines in ICE cars! *

Or is it for 4WD capability?

Do the drivers get option to run 1 motor or it is both must run at same time?

Lastly, why one would choose dual motors version as this would drain battery faster

* = There are some ICE cars (e.g. RAV4) with a motor at rear axle to provide 4WD capability.

ICE cars with 2 engines do exist, just not many of them:

www.classicandsportscar.com/news/csc-features/mini...l

Returning to the original question of which twin motor, almost all cars which canndo asub 6 second 0-60 time are 4wd. 2 driven wheels just isn't enough grip to provide the forces needed to get something weighing close to 2 tonnes up to speed that quick, or at least not in an i**** proof way.

EV dual motors - why? - mcb100
And an EV will do it without a propshaft running practically the length of the car, or a centre differential.
The two motors have an electrical feed, but otherwise they’re running independently.
EV dual motors - why? - sammy1

"""But the 0-60 drops from 7.0 to c4.5 (sorry Sammy).""

No need to apologise, I have a sense of humour and nice to know that you are thinking of me and possibly the planet when you plant your right foot purely in the interest of your job of course. Seriously humans cannot blame manufacturers for making cars that will make even Louise Hamilton's eyes bleed and be concerned about road casualties,

Yes I do know a girl called Louise!

Edited by sammy1 on 08/06/2023 at 09:57

EV dual motors - why? - Andrew-T

Yes I do know a girl called Louise!

I won't bother to comment then .... :-)

EV dual motors - why? - edlithgow
And an EV will do it without a propshaft running practically the length of the car, or a centre differential. The two motors have an electrical feed, but otherwise they’re running independently.

Not entirely since they have a relatively rigid car chassis between them, somewhat limiting freedom of action
EV dual motors - why? - Bolt
And an EV will do it without a propshaft running practically the length of the car, or a centre differential. The two motors have an electrical feed, but otherwise they’re running independently.

Not entirely since they have a relatively rigid car chassis between them, somewhat limiting freedom of action

I would think a Model S Plaid would sheer a propshaft with ease as its 0 to 60 time is 2.3 seconds and chassis is a solid one

EV dual motors - why? - edlithgow
Interesting link, thanks. I knew about the 2cv but hadnt heard of the twini

Couple of questions

What does “There was no problem synchronising the two ends since nature acted as a differential” mean?

It would seem to imply you need slippery conditions, but the following comments about tarmac are not apparently consistent with that.

Are there any examples of separate engines driving individual wheels on the rear? Would across-the-car drive imbalance render it uncontrollable?
EV dual motors - why? - Adampr
Interesting link, thanks. I knew about the 2cv but hadnt heard of the twini Couple of questions What does “There was no problem synchronising the two ends since nature acted as a differential” mean? It would seem to imply you need slippery conditions, but the following comments about tarmac are not apparently consistent with that. Are there any examples of separate engines driving individual wheels on the rear? Would across-the-car drive imbalance render it uncontrollable?

I think we'd need to summon the ghost of John Cooper to find out what he was on about. He may have meant that, unlike a single-engined 4wd, it was necessary to have a centre diff. How that stopped the whole push-me-pull-you effect I don't know.

EV dual motors - why? - edlithgow
Interesting link, thanks. I knew about the 2cv but hadnt heard of the twini Couple of questions What does “There was no problem synchronising the two ends since nature acted as a differential” mean? It would seem to imply you need slippery conditions, but the following comments about tarmac are not apparently consistent with that. Are there any examples of separate engines driving individual wheels on the rear? Would across-the-car drive imbalance render it uncontrollable?

I think we'd need to summon the ghost of John Cooper to find out what he was on about. He may have meant that, unlike a single-engined 4wd, it was necessary to have a centre diff. How that stopped the whole push-me-pull-you effect I don't know.

You mean "not necessary to have a centre diff" right?

EV dual motors - why? - Adampr
Interesting link, thanks. I knew about the 2cv but hadnt heard of the twini Couple of questions What does “There was no problem synchronising the two ends since nature acted as a differential” mean? It would seem to imply you need slippery conditions, but the following comments about tarmac are not apparently consistent with that. Are there any examples of separate engines driving individual wheels on the rear? Would across-the-car drive imbalance render it uncontrollable?

I think we'd need to summon the ghost of John Cooper to find out what he was on about. He may have meant that, unlike a single-engined 4wd, it was necessary to have a centre diff. How that stopped the whole push-me-pull-you effect I don't know.

You mean "not necessary to have a centre diff" right?

Yep

EV dual motors - why? - Brit_in_Germany

Unlike with an ICE 4WD, two motors quite simply means double the power.

EV dual motors - why? - RT

Unlike with an ICE 4WD, two motors quite simply means double the power.

The motors are often different power rating

EV dual motors - why? - edlithgow
Why “unlike”, assuming the ICE’s (and the electrics, of course) were identical with identical control inputs?
EV dual motors - why? - Brit_in_Germany

Because 4WD uses the same power supply but distributed across two axles.

EV dual motors - why? - Adampr

If you get a Jeep Renegade 4xe, the petrol engine drives the front wheels and the electric engine the rear wheels.

EV dual motors - why? - edlithgow

Because 4WD uses the same power supply but distributed across two axles.

Ah OK. Misunderstood. Thought you were comparing with 2 ICE's

EV dual motors - why? - mcb100
Back in the 80’s, when I was rallying, a chap called Kim Mather built a twin engined VW Scirocco and competed very successful with it.
Quite difficult to accurately attribute the number of wins it racked up to car or driver as Mather was a very quick former racing driver.
The car was very clever, with a supercharged motor in the rear and naturally aspirated up front, and a single gear lever but with rods running fore and aft to select the same gear at the same time on both gearboxes.
It was inordinate heavy, as I discovered whilst trying to recover it from the Armco barrier on the outside of Lodge corner at Oulton Park.
The governing body banned the car and concept after a couple of years, but I believe it’s still about and takes part in the occasional hill climb.
EV dual motors - why? - Terry W

Twin engines are not that unusual:

The six best cars with two engines (List) | GRR (goodwood.com)

EV dual motors - why? - badbusdriver

Back in the 80’s, when I was rallying, a chap called Kim Mather built a twin engined VW Scirocco and competed very successful with it.
Quite difficult to accurately attribute the number of wins it racked up to car or driver as Mather was a very quick former racing driver.
The car was very clever, with a supercharged motor in the rear and naturally aspirated up front, and a single gear lever but with rods running fore and aft to select the same gear at the same time on both gearboxes.
It was inordinate heavy, as I discovered whilst trying to recover it from the Armco barrier on the outside of Lodge corner at Oulton Park.

The governing body banned the car and concept after a couple of years, but I believe it’s still about and takes part in the occasional hill climb.

Interesting, because VW themselves made two separate twin engine Scirocco's.

First was a manual car using two highly tuned 1.6's enlarged to 1.8 litres (VW's own 1.8 wasn't around at this point) and making 180 bhp each.

Second was an automatic using VW's own 1.8, tuned by Oettinger and making 141bhp each.

But they actually made a twin engined (MK1) Jetta before either Scirocco's. This used two more or less standard Golf GTI engines for a combined 220bhp.

Swiss car builder and tuner Sbarro made a small twin engined car, the Super Twelve. So called because it used two (1300cc) 6 cyl Kawasaki motorbike engines mounted alongside each other behind the front seats driving the rear wheels only. Apparently it could run on one or both motors.