Powertrain layout

The powertrain layout of a motorised vehicle such as a car is often defined by the location of the engine or motors and the drive wheels.

In contrast to the rear-engined RR layout, the center of mass of the engine is in front of the rear axle.

This layout is typically chosen for its low moment of inertia and relatively favorable weight distribution.

This layout is typically chosen for better control on many surfaces, and is an important part of rally racing as well as off-road driving.

The motive output is then sent down a shaft to a differential in the centre of the car, which in the case of an M4 layout, distributes power to both front and rear axles.

This is made possible by the smaller size of electric motors compared to internal combustion engines (ICEs), which in addition are also accompanied by a bulky engine cooling system, allowing it to be fit more versatilely into multiple locations.

[7] The dual-motor layout is beneficial in re-distributing torque and power to maximize effective propulsion in response to road grip conditions and weight transfer in the vehicle.