This week's annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas is slowly but surely being taken over by the automotive industry with the growing prevailance of electric and autonomous tech. And one of today's largest announcements comes from Nissan.
The Japanese firm have shown off its new dual-motor all-wheel drive electric drivetrain, as fitted to a rapid wide-bodied Nissan Leaf hatch prototype.
Christened as the 'e-4ORCE' drivetrain (yes, pronounced 'e-force'), it features a pair of electric motors sending power to all four wheels for superior torque and power compared to a standard two-wheel drive set-up.
Nissan is of course not the first manufacturer to draft in an extra motor for its EVs. But what perhaps makes the e-4ORCE set-up different from most is that it's not solely about boosting performance. Comfort is said to also be a priority, with front and rear-based regenerative braking said to be capable of minimising pitch and dive. This sounds like a measure to improve handling, but Nissan says it's also helpful for those stop-and-go motorway commutes.
Read more: First drive — our impressions of the new Nissan Leaf EV
“The e-4ORCE twin-motor all-wheel control technology offers precise handling and stability, which gives drivers greater confidence and even more excitement than ever before,” says Nissan’s senior vice president of research and advanced engineering Takao Asami.
“This technology enables excellent cornering performance and traction on slippery surfaces and comfortable ride for all passengers.”
Nissan has a storied history with all-wheel drive platforms, like the revolutionary Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R and its current-day spiritual successor the R35 GT-R. Indeed, the e-4ORCE system is said to be at least partially derived from the R35 GT-R's ATTESA E-TS torque split system.
Nissan provided few other details of performance capabilities, range capabilities, or which vehicles are most likely to be equipped with the dual-motor set-up. Expect it to be drafted in as an option on future EV SUVs from Nissan, as well as its alliance manufacturers Renault and Mitsubishi.
And certainly, these images whet our appetite for a fully blown all-paw Leaf Nismo ...
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