Is the additional range from the single motor to the dual worth $10k?

[ajdelange]

It should just work without synchronizing a second motor in and out. Nor do I have to worry about exposure to the salt ocean air of that inactive motor and differential axel ass’y.

Both motors are in continuous use though which one carries the larger share of the load will be constantly shifting between them. This is all accomplished electronically.

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[lancethibault]

Is the additional range from the single motor to the dual worth $10k?

Depends. What are you using it for? How often would the extra range be necessary? To me; the answer is no. But to me the $40k for the single motor is not worth it either. My starting point for an EV has been 500 miles of range since I started paying attention, so the CT3 was the only option I would even consider. The other CTs may provide more bang for the buck most of the time, but they don't meet my needs. So if the single motor will meet your needs, then I would say the additional $10k is not worth it. I would not spend or finance the extra cash if you don't need the extra range. And if you do need that extra range, then I would not even consider the single motor.

 

[rr6013]

Both motors are in continuous use though which one carries the larger share of the load will be constantly shifting between them. This is all accomplished electronically.

Continuous use was my first assumption too. But I have only seen Tri-motor AWD nomenclature used after the CT launch.

Somewhere I picked up that DUAL motor had been engineered differently. Specifically, that the 2nd motor would not be active all the time. So I assumed Tesla was aiming at part-time 4x4, manual lock or on-demand. On-demand was so AI sexy I went with cool.

 

[Crissa]

The second motor in a Tesla is only used for certain acceleration or regen unless wheel slippage is detected.

This would be true of a tri-motor as well.

The standard setting is to use as little electricity to move the vehicle as possible, which means shifting the load from motor to motor as needed.

-Crissa

 

[Dids]

Batteries! Too bad nikola tesla never got his wireless transmission ideas fully developed.

I wish some1 would pay me to do experiments and come up with a way to harness gravity.

I will pay you. First tell me what you are going to do and I will tell you how much I will pay you.

 

[ajdelange]

Somewhere I picked up that DUAL motor had been engineered differently. Specifically, that the 2nd motor would not be active all the time. So I assumed Tesla was aiming at part-time 4x4, manual lock or on-demand. On-demand was so AI sexy I went with cool.

The way in which the motors are "blended" will be determined by a rather sophisticated algorithm. Just as an example of what's involved note that these motors are efficient over a wide area of the torque - speed envelope to the point where shifting gears is not necessary. But there is a peak, if a broad one. Thus if one uses two motors geared at slightly different ratios we see that one of them will be more efficient in one range of speed and the other more efficient in another. For any particular speed and power requirement there will be an optimum torque level wanted from each motor and the controllers will ask for that. Thus while there may be times where one of the motors is not energized it will be rare.

 

[ajdelange]

After thought: A simpler explanation as to why you would never shut one motor down is that if the load is split between two motors then each is drawing half the current that a single motor carrying that same load would. This means that the I^2R losses in each of the motors will be 1/4 of the I^2R loss in a single motor. As there are two motors the total I^2R loss is 1/2 what it would be were a single motor carrying the whole load by itself.

 

[Vrakpant]

Let me throw my hat in the mix here. Why would you even want a two wheel drive truck? Two wheel drive is about as useful as nipples are on men. Horrible in snowy conditions, horrible offroad. I understand your desire to save 10k, but that 10k isnt about the increased range. Its the difference of a truck you can actually use. if 4wd isnt what you are seeking, maybe you should look at other options.

Cheers.

 

[Sirfun]

Let me throw my hat in the mix here. Why would you even want a two wheel drive truck? Two wheel drive is about as useful as nipples are on men. Horrible in snowy conditions, horrible offroad. I understand your desire to save 10k, but that 10k isnt about the increased range. Its the difference of a truck you can actually use. if 4wd isnt what you are seeking, maybe you should look at other options.

Cheers.

There are lots of people on this planet that have NEVER needed, or owned a 4 wheel drive vehicle. I see you live in Norway, for your environment your statement makes sense. But, there are way more places, where it's totally unnecessary. So, in many places to have four wheel drive is about as useful as nipples are on men. ?

 

[RonM]

What does men's nipples have to do with snowy conditions and off roading??? Sound painful to me between the frostbite and road rash.

 

[azjohn]

Let me throw my hat in the mix here. Why would you even want a two wheel drive truck? Two wheel drive is about as useful as nipples are on men. Horrible in snowy conditions, horrible offroad. I understand your desire to save 10k, but that 10k isnt about the increased range. Its the difference of a truck you can actually use. if 4wd isnt what you are seeking, maybe you should look at other options.

Cheers.

Your analogy is accurate for an ICE vehicle, BEV is different. BEV has equal weight distribution. A RWD BEV does good in the snow, biggest difference is tires you are using

 

[ajdelange]

Funny thing is that most of the pleasures of life come from things you don't need.

 

[Luke42]

There are lots of people on this planet that have NEVER needed, or owned a 4 wheel drive vehicle. I see you live in Norway, for your environment your statement makes sense. But, there are way more places, where it's totally unnecessary. So, in many places to have four wheel drive is about as useful as nipples are on men. ?

It's more complicated for old-school pick up trucks.

The reason is that traditional pickup trucks are only properly balanced when they're fully loaded.

That means they have pretty poor weight distribution, and so regular pick up trucks require 4WD in situations that a regular car with decent TCS (like a Prius) can handle with ease. (I happened to own a Prius and an F-150 at the same time, and was able to determine this in-person).

A lot of pickup truck guys don't realize this, because they drive trucks exclusively.

Most gas-powered pickup trucks should actually be AWD in order to compensate for differential loading conditions.

But a lot of old-school pickup truck guys are too macho to use the same system their wife's CRV uses, so the trucks which have AWD systems label it "4x4 Auto", and still provide 2H, 4H, and 4L modes. It's still AWD for all practical purposes, and it's a good thing.

P.S. I'm a Ford F-series guy by default, but the combination of the hybrid drive system and the "4x4 Auto" was enough to get me to buy a tarted up Chevy.

 

[Crissa]

Even with balanced weighting, RWD still has trouble with snow vs a front-wheel vehicle, and that's because the turning wheels aren't powered. And stopping power shifts to the front no matter how balanced you are.

Still, RWD is cheaper to implement. And it has nice get up and go, since on acceleration, weighting shifts to the back. And those two things sell cars (and trucks).

-Crissa