Your EV Questions Answered: Do All Electric Cars Only Have Rear-Wheel Drive? What About Driving in Snow?
Answering your burning questions about electric vehicles, from drivetrain configurations to winter driving.
In the wake of recent snowfall, many drivers may have found themselves pondering the capabilities of their vehicles. One common concern arises: are all electric vehicles (EVs) limited to rear-wheel drive? And how do they handle snowy conditions?
Q: In recent snowy weather, I discovered the limits of rear-wheel drive in attempting to ascend a snowy driveway to the house. Do all EVs only have rear-wheel drive? If so, it’s rather off-putting. – J Gaffney, Co Cork
The debate surrounding rear-wheel drive versus front-wheel drive in snowy conditions is a long-standing one, and the outcome isn’t as clear-cut as you might assume.
During the significant snowstorms of the winter of 2010-2011, radio personalities often poked fun at owners of premium, rear-wheel drive luxury cars which became stranded at the base of snowy inclines. At the same time, more affordable front-wheel drive models often navigated these conditions with ease.
There is some validity to this observation — front-wheel drive vehicles typically have the bulk of their engine and gearbox weight positioned above or slightly in front (thereby providing some leverage) of the front wheels, which provides a distinct traction advantage. When faced with a loss of grip, a front-wheel drive car will generally tend to pull itself straight under acceleration.
However, rear-wheel drive cars are not entirely disadvantaged, and a discerning use of traction control plus a reasonable degree of driver skill will help keep these vehicles moving in adverse weather.
Need convincing? The well-regarded Swedish brand Volvo, with its strong focus on safety and long history of operating in snowy climates, didn’t introduce its first front-wheel drive car until nearly 60 years after its founding.
It is crucial to remember that the discussion about front-wheel drive versus rear-wheel drive applies equally to cars with combustion engines, hybrid powertrains, and EVs. Further helping all of these categories is the importance of tyres.
In Ireland, most owners typically use one set of tyres year-round, commonly known as summer tyres. Our European neighbors prioritize winter tyres.
Winter tyres are not exclusive to snowy conditions. Their more flexible rubber composition resists becoming rigid in temperatures below approximately 7 degrees Celsius, which enhances grip, traction, and braking performance even without snow. In winter environments, winter tyres provide a significant increase in grip and traction.
Of course, there’s added cost to an additional set of tyres, as well as the cost of a second set of wheels for them. There’s also the question of storing them during the warmer months.
However, the benefits are two-fold: (a) safety is improved in the winter, and (b) annual tyre wear is spread over two sets of tyres.
Regarding the question of whether all EVs are rear-wheel drive, the answer is no. Although, there is an increasing number of models appearing with rear-wheel drive, primarily because it is a more energy-efficient approach (front-wheel drive cars focus more on packaging than driving).
The most common rear-drive EVs currently include a few of the basic Tesla models, along with cars that use the Volkswagen Group’s MEB electric car platform, such as the VW ID3, 4, 5, 7, and Buzz lineups, the Skoda Enyaq and Elroq, the Audi Q4 e-Tron, and the Cupra Born and Tavascan. These cars often have optional four-wheel drive configurations.
Interestingly, the Audi Q4 e-tron is rear-wheel drive, despite Audi’s history of front- or four-wheel drive, so too are some of the single-motor versions of the new Q6 e-Tron SUV, the A6 e-Tron saloon and Avant estate (with optional four-wheel drive quattro as well).
Porsche’s Taycan and Macan Electric have basic rear-drive models, along with the Mercedes EQE and EQS lineups (though not the EQA or EQB, which are front-drive, despite the upcoming electric CLA’s shift to rear-wheel drive).
Toyota’s bz4X and Lexus’ RZ are both front-drive in basic forms but with four-wheel drive options. BMW’s electric lineup is split – the i4, i5, iX, and i7 are rear-wheel drive (with available four-wheel drive) while the iX1 and iX2 are front-wheel drive (with optional four-wheel drive). The iX3 is only available with rear-wheel drive.
All of the Stellantis Group electric cars, including those from Peugeot, Citroen, Alfa Romeo, Opel, Jeep, and Fiat, are front-wheel drive (some with optional four-wheel drive), as are all of Renault’s electric models and Nissan’s. The Dacia Spring is front-wheel drive, while BYD’s lineup has a mix: front-drive for the Atto 2, Atto3, and Dolphin, and rear-drive for the Seal saloon and Sealion 07 SUV.
Ford’s Explorer and Capri models are rear-driven because they share their chassis with Volkswagen. The Mustang Mach-E, which has a unique platform, offers rear-drive in its base form.
Hundai’s Ioniq range and Kia’s EV range are rear-wheel drive (with optional four-wheel drive), but the electric versions of the Kona and Niro are front-drive, as is the new Hyundai Inster.
MG has rear-drive for the MG 4 hatch and the Cyberster sports car (also with optional four-wheel drive), although it previously offered the electric ZS and the MG 5 estate (front-drive). All electric Minis are front-wheel drive, though this could change with future generations.
Polestar and Volvo are a slightly different. The Polestar 3 and 4, along with the Volvo EX30 and EX90, are all natively rear-wheel drive (with available 4WD). However, the Polestar 2 and the Volvo EX40 and EC40 (formerly the XC40 and C40) originally started out as front-wheel drive models, but switched to rear-wheel drive over the last two years due to improved efficiencies. This marks a notable change, as a major car manufacturer is rare to change which wheels are driven on a main model since Triumph’s 1300/1500 lineup in the 1970s.
As for driving an EV on ice and snow, the safety rules are the same as with any car. Reduce speed, maintain a greater following distance, utilize smooth control inputs, and in severe conditions, it’s best not to drive at all.
