A recently published patent filing shows what GM could have in store for its next generation of electric powertrains. The filing shows electric motors with a coupling that can lock them together to deliver maximum torque. This model could work at the front and rear axles, allowing for a quad-motor powertrain.
A mechanical locking mechanism, potentially through some kind of clutch pack, would be advantageous for on-road performance and off-road capability. “Directional stability may be improved at straight-line launch, which may result in improved 0-60 performance, and at high speed, which may mitigate excessive steering sensitivity,” GM said in the patent filing. So, the locking system wouldn’t make an EV faster, per se, but it would make high-performance electric vehicles more sable and controllable at high speeds.
As for off-road applications, the system would be able to detect wheel slippage or one wheel off the ground and route the combined torque of two motors to one wheel. An obvious application for a system like this would be in an off-road EV like the GMC Hummer EV, and we can’t help but wonder if it would be used in electric versions of Chevy ZR2 or GMC AT4X pickup trucks.
If a design like the one in the patent filing makes it to market, it will be GM’s first quad-motor electric powertrain. The General currently has a three-motor design available in the GMC Hummer EV, which produces up to 1,000 horsepower in the Pickup variant. We expect a similar configuration in an upcoming Cadillac Escalade IQ-V. However, the other performance-oriented GM EVs like the Chevy Blazer EV SS, Chevy Silverado EV RST, and Cadillac Lyriq-V are all dual-motor.
A quad-motor powertrain would elevate GM EVs to a new level of performance and capability. Currently, Rivian offers quad-motor powertrains in its R1 line. Quad-motor Rivian models have similar estimated 0-60 mph times as tri-motor Hummer models (about three seconds flat), but the Rivians are lighter, more efficient, and longer-range.
But what about sportier applications of a quad-motor powertrain? An electric Corvette crossover is still the stuff of rumor, but that seems like an obvious application of such a powertrain to maximize on-road performance, befitting the Corvette name. We might also see it in future Cadillac crossovers or sedans if such a powertrain could be packaged in a sedan.
Comments
Like they used to talk about back in the 1970s.
Isn’t the current setup one motor locked to both wheels? Why not just add a LSD to the current Diff? Why so complicated? Aren’t EV’s expensive and complicated enough?
It seems that you have never taken apart a gas engine or a transmission (I have). Together they are extremely complicated with over 2,000 parts! EVs use much less parts.
I have rebuilt multiple 4L60’s (and upgraded them to 4L65’s) and done lower end work on 6L80’s. For engines, while I swapped a couple, only one I’ve rebuilt is a 55 Packard 352. So yes, o know how complicated they can be, now back to the point I actually was making now that your done preaching about the EV gods. Aren’t there more stands of copper in the armature than parts of the engine you just described? This coming from cheating out and soldering burn out end on motors rather than replacing expensive electric motors. So there’s significant savings using only one motor. So why not just use an LSD? Way cheaper, lighter, doesn’t have miles of copper that each individually needs wrapped. (BTW, ICE is way less parts cause by your metric, I’m counting the entire engine tranny combo as one. And let’s not get started on battery cells 🤪)
Sounds too complicated. Put a motor with each wheel and let the computer balance them for torque and traction.
This is just a patent, doesn’t necessarily point to future product. GM has been testing in-wheel motors since at least 2002.