Looking for experience with RWD MachE

[ChrisO]

Our 22 premium was the first Awd car I’ve owned. I assumed that overall, it would be a safer more stable car. I have learned since that Awd is only active up to @ 15 mph and then cuts off. The only other time it engages is if the front wheels slip so even in snowy conditions it would be rare to happen if you are driving carefully. With that in mind, I guess I really see no particular advantage to Awd in normal driving conditions. If I had researched a bit more, I would not have gotten it, since the front motor is the only problem we have had with the car.

I didn't know that it would cut off that is interesting and reminds me of something that might be thought of a negative of AWD. Note I did look it up and at least some of them will "turn it on" at higher speeds if they detect the wheels slipping. But one thing to note about that extra motor as far as the range goes. Its weight will always be there, and I also suspect, there will be some drag from the motor/gears and such.

And that might create a false sense of security and therefore someone might do something stupid.

I have driven in Wisconsin and Albuquerque NM. Albuquerque is worse for the few times it snows because they have no idea on how to drive on snow, and the most they do for snow is throw dirt on some of the main roads. Whereas in Wisconsin, the people knew how to drive on snow, and I just had to wait an hour later to go to work and the roads would be plowed.

Pertaining to this discussion are the 4-wheel drive trucks in Albuquerque. They would speed around thinking that because they have 4-wheel drive they had some kind of safety net. Well, all cars stop with "4-wheel brakes". Of course, it is if they actually stop. When I was a kid I saw a car ram on his brakes at a stop sign, on a hill, on a road that had snow on it. Watched them slowly side down the hill. Watched them for a couple of blocks, and they were still going. Didn't see how it turned out, I needed to get to school.

The bottom line is that most of advantage for 4WD/AWD is at a very slow speeds.

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[John Perry]

I am very happy with my 2024 RWD Premium extended range. I chose this for maximum range. Performance is impressive even though my accelerator has been nowhere near the floor and I use only Whisper mode. Only if I lived in ice and snow country would I want an AWD.

 

[tuminatr]

Our 22 premium was the first Awd car I’ve owned. I assumed that overall, it would be a safer more stable car. I have learned since that Awd is only active up to @ 15 mph and then cuts off. The only other time it engages is if the front wheels slip so even in snowy conditions it would be rare to happen if you are driving carefully. With that in mind, I guess I really see no particular advantage to Awd in normal driving conditions. If I had researched a bit more, I would not have gotten it, since the front motor is the only problem we have had with the car.

AWD engages whenever the car is slipping, it's likely engaged more than you think.

This is the same thought process when it comes to tires. Could you drive around on a bald set of tires? Yes, you could, and in the perfect conditions, they would have more grip than tires with tread. Anything less than a perfect tire with tread is better than bald. AWD is the same in ideal conditions, it's not needed anything less than perfect AWD has an advantage

If you have a GT you can feel the front motor pull the car

 

[tuminatr]

I didn't know that it would cut off that is interesting and reminds me of something that might be thought of a negative of AWD. Note I did look it up and at least some of them will "turn it on" at higher speeds if they detect the wheels slipping. But one thing to note about that extra motor as far as the range goes. Its weight will always be there, and I also suspect, there will be some drag from the motor/gears and such.

And that might create a false sense of security and therefore someone might do something stupid.

I have driven in Wisconsin and Albuquerque NM. Albuquerque is worse for the few times it snows because they have no idea on how to drive on snow, and the most they do for snow is throw dirt on some of the main roads. Whereas in Wisconsin, the people knew how to drive on snow, and I just had to wait an hour later to go to work and the roads would be plowed.

Pertaining to this discussion are the 4-wheel drive trucks in Albuquerque. They would speed around thinking that because they have 4-wheel drive they had some kind of safety net. Well, all cars stop with "4-wheel brakes". Of course, it is if they actually stop. When I was a kid I saw a car ram on his brakes at a stop sign, on a hill, on a road that had snow on it. Watched them slowly side down the hill. Watched them for a couple of blocks, and they were still going. Didn't see how it turned out, I needed to get to school.

The bottom line is that most of advantage for 4WD/AWD is at a very slow speeds.

Nope, you performance drive an AWD car much differently than an RWD or FWD. There is a huge advantage to AWD cars on a track, especially if they are tuned well by the manufacturer. The front end can pull the car into corners. It's not a false sense of grip; AWD cars actually have more traction.

There is a clear and large advantage at highway speeds in less-than-perfect conditions with AWD

That being said, will the average driver be able to tell the difference? Yes. I have done a bunch of track days with average drivers, and almost every time come away saying they can tell the difference

 

[Tomm]

I have had AWD vehicles and now have a 2023.5 RWS ext range and I see no difference but I am an old man (67) and mostly drive like one.

 

[Ezzelin]

I have a 2024 RWD standard range. This is my first RWD drive car and I was initially concerned about this, but from my research traction is fine these days with modern traction control on RWD. Especially with an EV that has such a low center of gravity and even weight distribution. Also, the 2024 base model RWD is plenty fast as well; it improved the 0-60 to 5.6 seconds over the previous year with the new rear motor from the Lightning. I've only floored it a couple times but it still threw me back in my seat, and it has plenty of torque to accelerate quickly at highway speeds. So I've never felt that I needed more speed either. I think RWD is fine for this car.

 

[ChrisO]

Nope, you performance drive an AWD car much differently than an RWD or FWD. There is a huge advantage to AWD cars on a track, especially if they are tuned well by the manufacturer. The front end can pull the car into corners. It's not a false sense of grip; AWD cars actually have more traction.

There is a clear and large advantage at highway speeds in less-than-perfect conditions with AWD

That being said, will the average driver be able to tell the difference? Yes. I have done a bunch of track days with average drivers, and almost every time come away saying they can tell the difference

Well, like Tom above I'm old (also 67) and drive that way (which is to say I drive with safety in mind, I'm not in hurry to get anywhere), so that might "jade me", but I wasn't really saying that you can't see any difference provided you push the car to near the limits. And I suppose in an emergency it might make a difference, but my main points were.

1. That the main advantages are at lower speeds in very slick conditions.
2. And even more important, the skill of the driver is the main factor in ALL situations.

 

[tuminatr]

Well, like Tom above I'm old (also 67) and drive that way (which is to say I drive with safety in mind, I'm not in hurry to get anywhere), so that might "jade me", but I wasn't really saying that you can't see any difference provided you push the car to near the limits. And I suppose in an emergency it might make a difference, but my main points were.

1. That the main advantages are at lower speeds in very slick conditions.
2. And even more important, the skill of the driver is the main factor in ALL situations.

You do you, an I am not trying to change your mind. My dad has this discussion with me many times we line in MN and he says AWD completely unnecessary.

The closest equivalent explanation I can give is it's like central air conditioning. You don't actually need it but when its hot and humid you wish you had it. If where you live doesn't get hot and humid well maybe you don't need it.

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