Drive types for electric commercial vehicles

Choosing the right type of drive plays a central role in vehicle procurement, as it has a significant influence on performance and possible applications.

Front-wheel drive.‍

Front-wheel drive (FWD) is one of the most frequently used drive types for light electric commercial vehicles. The front wheels transmit the drive power to the road.

Advantages:

• Energy efficiency: Front-wheel drives are often lighter than other types of drive, which reduces energy consumption.
• Cost and space savings: The electric motor, power electronics and drive components are housed compactly in the front of the vehicle. This saves space in the vehicle. This reduces production costs and offers more freedom in terms of body design, especially for vehicles with special bodies or when converting to a double axle.
• Better traction for light vehicles: The weight of the engine on the front axles gives front-wheel drive good traction on dry and paved roads.
• Weight distribution: Due to the installation of the drive components on the front axle, more payload remains for the rear axle.

Disadvantages:

• Reduced performance with heavy loads: Especially with loaded vehicles, where the weight is shifted to the rear axle, traction can decrease.
• Difficulties on uneven or slippery terrain: Front-wheel drive tends to reach its limits on loose surfaces or in snow, as steering forces have to be transmitted via the same wheels as the drive forces.

Typical areas of application:

• Light commercial vehicles, city delivery vans, low-floor vehicles or delivery vehicles, which are mainly used in urban environments.

‍Rear drive.

With rear-wheel drive (RWD), the rear axle transmits the power of the engine to the road. This type of drive is particularly popular for commercial vehicles with heavy loads.

Advantages:

• Improved traction under heavy load: As the weight is concentrated on the rear axle when loaded, the mechanical grip of the drive wheels is increased.
• Greater driving stability: The rear-wheel drive ensures a stable driving experience, especially at high speeds or dynamic driving behavior.
• Robust design: rear-wheel drives are less sensitive to mechanical stress, especially on uneven roads or frequent journeys with high payloads.

Disadvantages:

• Energy consumption: Higher weight and more mechanical components can increase energy consumption.
• Reduced traction when the vehicle is empty: If the rear axle is carrying little weight, the drive wheels can spin more quickly, especially on slippery surfaces.

‍Typicalareas of application:

• Medium to heavy commercial vehicles, vehicles in the construction industry and in logistics.

‍All-wheel drive.

The all-wheel drive ("4x4", AWD) transfers the drive power to all four wheels of the vehicle and thus ensures maximum traction and safety in all conditions (fully loaded, bad weather).

Advantages:

• Optimum traction on all surfaces: Whether mud, snow or sand - the all-wheel drive ensures high driving stability and grip.
• High off-road capability: Electric commercial vehicles with all-wheel drive and a higher ride height are predestined for off-road use.
• Safety aspect: The even distribution of power to all wheels reduces the risk of getting stuck or breaking off.
• Flexible load distribution: With two or more electric motors, mechanical components such as the differential and cardan shaft are no longer required. This means that the load distribution of the drive axles can be precisely matched to the vehicle on the software side**, whereby** you can freely choose between 0 and 100% per axle. Frequently used splits are 30/70 or 50/50.

Disadvantages:

• Higher costs and weight: The complex technology and additional engines increase the production and maintenance costs as well as the vehicle weight.
• Increased energy consumption: Permanent all-wheel drive increases power consumption, which has an impact on range.

Typical areas of application:

• Vehicles used in agriculture, construction, winter service, rescue operations or off-road transportation.

Conclusion:

The choice of the right drive type depends on the individual application requirements of the electric commercial vehicle. Each drive type offers specific advantages and at the same time has limitations that should be weighed up depending on the usage scenario:

• Front-wheel drive: Thanks to its high energy efficiency, low costs and compact design, it is particularly suitable for light commercial vehicles and use in urban environments.
• Rear-wheel drive: Thanks to its better traction with high payloads and its robust design, rear-wheel drive is the preferred choice in the construction and logistics sector.
• All-wheel drive: It impresses with maximum traction and safety on any terrain and is ideal for demanding environments such as construction sites, rough terrain or winter road conditions. However, the high level of versatility and off-road capability comes at the cost of higher costs and increased energy consumption.

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