Individual wheel drive

[1] The term was coined to identify electric vehicles with a four-motor layout, where each wheel is driven by an individual electric motor,[2][3] as opposed to the differential drivetrain seen in conventional four wheel drive (4WD) ICE vehicles and the dual-motor 4WD design seen in many plug-in electric vehicles.

They also lack the need for a central gear box, mechanical differentials, drive shafts, and provide on the fly switching between front, rear and all-wheel drive.

Hydraulic individual wheel drives are standard in various machines, such as zero-turn mowers, multi one lifts / front end loaders, and forklifts.

Hydraulic drives are primarily found in machines that serve uses which benefit from the ability to "turn on a dime", i.e. with an exceptionally short turning diameter, and move between forward and reverse modes without shifting gears, such as lawn mowers and loading equipment.

Nonetheless the drive is provided directly from the hydraulic rotary motor found in or adjacent to the wheel hub.