All-wheel drive is available on a wider variety of vehicles these days, including a substantial share of new electric vehicles. That’s not only due to the popularity of AWD, but possibly also because adding AWD is simpler for an EV, with software managing the power split between the electric motors on each axle and no need for a mechanical connection from front to rear. AWD in an EV has real advantages, including improved traction, more power and more driving fun — at least with better systems designed for performance-oriented power splitting.
If it’s on your list of must-haves, below are all of the model-year 2023-24 EVs on sale in the U.S. with AWD offered. Note that the list for 2024 models is incomplete and will grow as more information is released.
Related: Here Are the 11 Cheapest Electric Vehicles You Can Buy
2023 EVs Offering All-Wheel Drive
Many EVs, such as the Tesla Model Y, are offered only with dual-motor AWD, and some systems don’t stop at two motors. With the top versions of the Rivian R1T pickup and R1S SUV, all-wheel drive literally means all wheels since there is a separate electric motor on each wheel. Additionally, EVs such as the GMC Hummer EV and Tesla’s Model S and Model X Plaid performance models have AWD using one motor in front and two in the back (one for each rear wheel, eliminating the need for a rear differential).
But as with gasoline vehicles, AWD in an EV is not a free ride. It costs more to buy, and it costs more to drive, thanks to the system’s extra weight. The added complexity and equipment means you have more parts and systems to maintain, further adding to cost of ownership.
AWD also raises some issues specific to EVs. For an equivalent battery size, the weight of the AWD setup can cut the range of an EV – a critical spec for a lot of buyers. For example, a Hyundai Ioniq 6 Long Range sedan with 18-inch wheels and a 77.4-kilowatt-hour battery has an EPA-rated range of 361 miles with rear-wheel drive and 316 miles with AWD. That’s because the EPA-rated efficiency — how much electricity you use to go a given distance — is 24 kWh per 100 miles with RWD (140 mpg-e in combined driving) and 27 kWh per 100 miles with AWD (121 mpg-e combined).
The efficiency difference means more stops on a road trip and more frequent charging in general. It also means a higher cost to drive, even if it’s still less than gasoline, plus a penalty in charging time since a less-efficient EV is adding fewer miles in the same time.
Is AWD for an EV worth it? If you live in Chicago, sure. If you live in Miami, it’s maybe not so easy to justify.
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