All - wheel drive might come later, most likely as a hybrid
with electric motors powering the rear wheels.
The use
of electric motors for the rear wheels eliminates the need for a mechanical power shaft from the front - mounted engine, allowing the interior floor to be lower and flatter.
For the standard model, a 1.8 - liter inline four is teamed with a pair of
electric motors for a total system output of 134 horsepower.
In normal city driving, it runs like an electric vehicle, with
electric motors in the front and rear providing permanent four - wheel drive.
A 150 -
hp electric motor drives the rear wheels, drawing power from a lithium - ion battery pack good for 100 - plus miles of range.
From electric motors to four - cylinder engine, every element of the powertrain is optimized to improve fuel economy while providing a similar boost to performance.
Why not just
use electric motors at all 4 wheels (or at least the rear wheels), and combine that with a plug - in hybrid?
In addition, there are two 36
horsepower electric motors in the nose, which are each tasked with powering an individual front wheel.
Instead, it simply demands more torque from the rear
electric motor as conditions demand.
Revised steering and suspension work last year lead to more agile handling, and a 1.8 L four - cylinder engine with a pair of
electric motors produces 121 hp.
With sufficient battery charge, our first few hundred meters at the wheel are achieved under electric power with the front
electric motor providing drive to the front wheels.
There's also a second smaller
electric motor mounted at the rear next to the combustion engine, producing 5 hp and 3 lb - ft.
An eventual performance model will also feature a
rear electric motor for extra power and all - wheel drive.
A 54 - hp
electric motor integrated into the transmission helps power the front wheels, while a 114 - hp motor drives the rear wheels.
An all - new 111 - kW electric drive unit uses two
electric motors working with planetary gear sets to mix - n - match power delivery depending on need.
The four - cylinder, 1.3 - liter engine and its accompanying
electric motor make a modest 110 horsepower, but don't be fooled by that.
The seven - passenger luxury sport utility vehicle features a supercharged 2.5 - litre in - line four - cylinder gasoline engine mated to a
small electric motor powered by lithium - ion cells.
The dieting efforts seem somewhat in vain, however, when you consider the battery and
electric motors alone weigh - in at 230 kg.
In a special off - road mode, the gas engine drives the
front electric motor as a generator to power the rear motor and turn all four wheels.
The new drivetrain is capable of running in three modes — engine only,
electric motor only or combined.
The 1.8 - liter four - cylinder engine and
electric motor also produce a respectable 134 hp, so it's quicker than you might assume.
Equipped with an electric water pump, electric power steering, and an integrated
hybrid electric motor / generator, this engine does not require any accessory belts.
Power will be sent to the front wheels while one
more electric motor producing 116 PS and 270 Nm is placed at the rear.
The hybrid system's
electric motor does what it can to help out on the freeway, but this is one car that won't spend much time in the left - hand lane.
This all - new three - pot and
electric motor system will enable around 48 km of pure electric driving, as well as improved fuel economy.
There are another two
electric motors running the front wheels which are used to provide handling enhancements rather than outright power.
The sole front - mounted
electric motor gives assistance to the diesel engine to power the front wheels, while the two at the rear independently power the back wheels.
The 40 - hp (dropping to 27 hp during continuous full - load operation)
electric motor puts out 89 lb - ft of torque.
Unlike gasoline engines,
electric motors offer efficient torque across a wide selection of RPM, and are especially effective at low settings where the gasoline engine is inefficient.
Power for this small crossover comes from a 1.1 - liter direct - injection turbocharged motor and a lightweight,
compact electric motor, and is sent to the front wheels.
Power comes from a 2.0 - liter turbocharged four - cylinder working in tandem with twin
electric motors mated to the transmission.
A third 60 - hp
electric motor sits between the engine and the six - speed sequential transmission.
A third
electric motor positioned between the engine and the transmission would incorporate an integrated starter and generator, drawing its energy from a lithium - ion battery.