Each of the four wheels contains an electric motor, drive train, suspension and steering and braking mechanisms.
Last week, the plant celebrated Spark EV motor production, marking the first time a major U.S. auto manufacturer has designed and built both a complete electric motor and drive unit for a modern electric vehicle in the United States.
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The SUV features a front-mounted diesel engine paired with an electric motor in a traditional hybrid configuration, plus a second, more powerful electric motor in the rear to drive those wheels in the back.
The company also is developing four-wheel-drive technology that powers two wheels with an internal combustion engine and two with an electric motor, eliminating the need for a drive train that takes up floor space, Ho said.
It consists of a GM-designed, coaxial drive unit and electric motor that together deliver 130 hp (110 kW) and 400 lb.
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In addition to the petrol engine and electric motor, the LF-CC hybrid drive system further comprises a generator, a high-performance battery, a power split device which, via planetary reduction gears, combines and re-allocates power from the engine, electric motor and generator according to operational requirements, and a compact power control unit to govern the high speed interaction of the system components.
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In the latter scenarios, the regenerative drive generates electric power as the motor rotates backwards.
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In addition to the Forstars, a near-production version of the Smart Fortwo Electric Drive is on display at the Paris Motor Show, which continues through October 14.
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The third generation smart fortwo electric drive features a 55 kW magneto-electric motor - the first product from the EM-motive joint venture founded together with Bosch - which ensures that it is as agile and lively as ever.
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The electric drive produces 95 hp, more than double the power of the previous model's electric motor (47 hp).
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That hybrid car that you smugly drive contains about 100 pounds of the stuff, largely in the electrical cables and the electric motor.
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