CES 2020: Nissan Uncovers All-Electric All-Wheel-Drive Twin Motor System

Signalling its eagerness to leave its recent missteps behind, Nissan revealed its new all-electric all-wheel drive twin motor at the CES 2020 event, which is expected to appear in the Japanese brand’s first electric crossover arriving in North America in 2021.

Taking the name e-4ORCE, Nissan’s new powertrain possesses the ability to accurately control torque flow to each wheel, while also affectively managing brake regeneration from them.

“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,” describes Takao Asami, Nissan’s senior vice president of research and advanced engineering. “This technology enables excellent cornering performance and traction on slippery surfaces and comfortable ride for all passengers.”

Power flow to the twin motors—one at the front and one at the rear—can be controlled independently, while torque to the left and right wheels is optimized by coordinated braking. This allows for robust acceleration, sure-grip handling on slippery surfaces, and smoother deceleration, according to the Japanese carmaker.

All these benefits allow the e-4ORCE system to reduce pitch and dive, resulting in unparalleled ride comfort even while cornering. This particular feature, Nissan imagines, will be extremely helpful in city stop-and-go traffic, where the abrupt movements can be jarring to driver and passengers alike.

Similarly, during acceleration and while traveling on rough terrain, e-4ORCE optimizes motor control to maintain ride comfort by decreasing irregular movement.

Developed from lessons learned in the evolution of the Nissan GT-R's ATTESA E-TS torque split system and the Nissan Patrol's intelligent 4X4 system, the e-4ORCE will debut in a production version of the Ariya SUV concept, pictured below.

“e-4ORCE increases driver confidence by faithfully tracing the driver's intended line thanks to ultra-high-precision motor and brake control. With the confidence to handle such a variety of road surfaces, even for novice drivers on slippery surfaces, driving becomes more enjoyable,” Nissan said in a statement.

The zero-emission 500-km ranging Ariya concept equipped with the e-4ORCE system is now on display at Nissan’s booth at the CES 2020 event in Las Vegas. CES 2020 runs from January 7 to 10 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Nevada USA.

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