Flat towing an electrical automobile—the place the automobile’s wheels stay involved with the highway—poses extra challenges in comparison with conventional internal-combustion automobiles. Nonetheless, automakers are actively in search of options.
Within the case of internal-combustion automobiles, flat towing sometimes entails inserting the transmission in impartial or disconnecting the prop shafts to permit the wheels to rotate freely, thus stopping injury to mechanical elements. In terms of electrical automobiles (EVs), mechanically decoupling electrical motors from the wheels is not as easy.
A latest patent revealed by Stellantis on January 30, 2025, proposes an progressive method for EVs geared up with permanent-magnet synchronous motors. The corporate suggests using a high-voltage bus to induce subject weakening, which would cut back the motors’ torque and permit them to spin extra freely, whereas remaining remoted from the battery pack.
This answer is considerably extra simple than a way proposed by Rivian in a patent software that emerged a couple of 12 months in the past. Rivian’s submitting discusses utilizing software program to disconnect the motors that drive the rear axle whereas nonetheless making use of torque to the entrance wheels, guaranteeing the automobile stays aligned with the towing automobile.
Ford additionally weighed in on this challenge with a patent software revealed in 2021. They proposed the thought of selectively charging EVs whereas towed, which may doubtlessly help in boosting the tow automobile up hills, much like methods developed by startups like Pebble and Lightship for journey trailers.
Whereas flat towing will not be a prime precedence for each EV purchaser, it’s particularly interesting for RV house owners and will facilitate the restoration of stranded EVs, thereby lowering reliance on flatbed vehicles. If carried out in manufacturing automobiles, these patented ideas may show extraordinarily useful.
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