Single- versus Dual-Motor Battery Electric Vehicles Energy Consumption Comparison Across Payloads and Cycles

Dual-motor battery electric vehicle studies in the literature cover various topics, ranging from the proposal of new architectures to advanced and connected energy management systems. Nevertheless, comparisons with single-motor counterparts are limited. Existing works often focus on energy efficiency comparison on specific driving cycles and load conditions, leaving a gap for a more comprehensive assessment. This paper addresses this gap by conducting an energy consumption comparison between single- and dual-motor battery electric vehicles, specifically the independently drive axle configuration, across diverse driving cycles and load scenarios for two categories. The simulations utilized measured power loss data from two permanent magnet synchronous motors. In addition, the importance of accounting for the additional power losses of the second electric drive unit, especially the gearbox, and modeling the energy management system around power loss minimization are highlighted. The results indicate the superiority of the single-motor architecture for all the scenarios for a subcompact car. However, the analyzed dual-motor powertrain can be a preferable option for a service van in between 23% and 29% of its typical usage.