The Pros and Cons of All-Wheel Drive And Electrification, According to CarBuzz

All-wheel drive has traditionally been the hallmark of off-road vehicles and pickups that tackle the road less traveled but the all-weather traction and performance benefits of combining AWD with electric assistance are getting harder to ignore. Many new top-end EVs and sports cars come with all-wheel drive as standard and offer blistering performance and superior grip as a result. CarBuzz looks at the pros and cons of these applications.

Electric Vehicles With All-Wheel Drive

Most run-of-the-mill cars that serve the purpose of ferrying commuters around come with front-wheel drive as standard, but as technology advances, all-wheel drive configurations have become more commonplace. This is also seen in EVs, especially those that use more than one electric motor, as placing a motor on each axle avails the car with four driven wheels. AWD electric vehicles bring better traction and improved handling, as well as enhancing overall performance times. And with the lack of fuel bills due to electrification, it’s only the hefty curb weights and high starting MSRP you need to consider.

Hybrid Vehicles With All-wheel Drive

Much like their fully electric counterparts, hybrid cars with all-wheel drive offer similar benefits that include lower gas bills, all-wheel traction in adverse weather, impressive horsepower and torque figures, and the bonus of having gas propulsion to fall back on. However, AWD hybrid vehicles don’t offer the best in terms of range, and generally cost more than ICE variants. Additionally, they tend to weigh more, and this can have an adverse effect on both performance and fuel economy. On the plus side, these vehicles come in many shapes and sizes, from crossovers to sedans, and even coupes with hybrid assistance.

Electric Sports Cars With AWD

The combination of electrification and all-wheel drive has become more commonplace in the USA, and while purists and traditionalists aren’t necessarily very pro electric sports cars, there’s a lot to be said for just how much they offer. Common characteristics include cutting-edge technology both under the hood and in the cabin, superb handling traits, and breathtaking performance with 0-60 mph times that will spin your head. While these electrified beauties are desirable and often from high-end brands and are often lovely to look at, they aren’t cheap by any means. You’re paying for electronic wizardry that will see you race to the end of the line in near silence – and expect to pay even more if you’re looking at AWD sports cars since these tend to have even higher sticker prices.

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