Rear-wheel driveAutomotive transmission where the engine drives the rear wheels only Rear-wheel drive (RWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, in which the engine drives the rear wheels only. Until the late 20th century, rear-wheel drive was the most common configuration for cars. Most rear-wheel drive vehicles feature a longitudinally-mounted engine at the front of the car.
Dual-motor, four-wheel-drive layoutIn automotive design, dual-motor, four-wheel-drive layout is mainly used by battery electric vehicles by having two electric motors that each drives the front and rear axle, creating a four-wheel drive layout. This is made possible by the smaller size of electric motors compared to internal combustion engines (ICEs), which in addition are also accompanied by a bulky engine cooling system, allowing it to be fit more versatilely into multiple locations.
Battery electric vehicleType of electric vehicleThe Nissan Leaf (left) and the Tesla Model S (right) were the world's all-time top-selling all-electric cars in 2018.Measuring 130 m (430 ft) in length and powered by a 40 MWh battery system, the China Zorrillaferry is the largest battery electric vehicle ever built.Charging Peugeot e208 at a high-power charging stationCharging pointA battery electric vehicle (BEV), pure electric vehicle, only-electric vehicle, fully electric vehicle or all-electric vehicle is a type of electric vehicle (EV) that uses electrical energy exclusively from an on-board battery pack to power one or more electrictraction motors, on which the vehicle solely relies for propulsion.
Electric motorMachine that converts electrical energy into mechanical energyAn electric motor is a machine that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. Most electric motors operate through the interaction between the motor's magnetic field and electric current in a wire winding to generate Lorentz force in the form of torque applied on the motor's shaft.
Drive wheelA drive wheel is a wheel of a motor vehicle that transmits force, transforming torque into tractive force from the tires to the road, causing the vehicle to move. The powertrain delivers enough torque to the wheel to overcome stationary forces, resulting in the vehicle moving forwards or backwards. A two-wheel drive vehicle has two driven wheels, typically both at the front or back, while a four-wheel drive has four.
Internal combustion engineEngine in which fuel combusts with an oxidizerDiagram of a cylinder as found in an overhead cam 4 stroke gasoline engine: C – crankshaftE – exhaust camshaftI – inlet camshaftP – pistonR – connecting rodS – spark plugV – valves.
Four-wheel driveA four-wheel drive, also called 4×4 ("four-by-four") or 4WD, is a two-axled vehicle drivetrain capable of providing torque to all of its wheels simultaneously. It may be full-time or on-demand, and is typically linked via a transfer case providing an additional output drive shaft and, in many instances, additional gear ranges. DefinitionsFour-wheel-drive systems were developed in many different markets and used in many different vehicle platforms.
Automotive designAutomotive design is the process of developing the appearance (and to some extent the ergonomics) of motor vehicles, including automobiles, motorcycles, trucks, buses, coaches, and vans. The functional design and development of a modern motor vehicle is typically done by a large team from many different disciplines also included within automotive engineering, however, design roles are not associated with requirements for professional- or chartered-engineer qualifications.
CarMotorised passenger road vehicleA car, or an automobile, is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of cars state that they run primarily on roads, seat 1-8 people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people rather than cargo. There are over 1.6 billion cars in use worldwide as of 2025.Front-wheel driveFront-wheel drive (FWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, in which the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel-drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional longitudinal engine arrangement generally found in rear-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive vehicles.AxleAn axle or axletree is a central shaft for a rotatingwheel or gear. On wheeled vehicles, the axle may be fixed to the wheels, rotating with them, or fixed to the vehicle, with the wheels rotating around the axle. In the former case, bearings or bushings are provided at the mounting points where the axle is supported. In the latter case, a bearing or bushing sits inside a central hole in the wheel to allow the wheel or gear to rotate around the axle.
Traction motorA traction motor is an electric motor used for propulsion of a vehicle, such as locomotives, electric or hydrogen vehicles, or electric multiple unit trains.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.