If you’ve looked into off-road EVs, you already know they excel at providing torque compared to their gas-burning counterparts. Why does that matter, and how does it help with off-roading? Let’s explore the issue.
Smart people look for two things in an engine or EV motor: HP and torque. Most people know that horsepower refers to the amount of power the car produces, but what about torque? The situation surrounding this measurement of engine output is a little more complex.
What Is Torque?
Torque is a twisting force. In cars, torque refers to an engine or motor’s ability to use that twisting force. To better understand this critical metric, let’s start with a discussion of torque in gasoline-burning cars.
When an engine’s pistons reciprocate up and down on the crankshaft and cause it to rotate, it creates the twisting force known as torque. The torque is then transferred to the car’s wheels via the transmission and drivetrain.
Many variables impact torque output in a traditional car, including the size of the engine and its design. No matter how much torque output an engine boasts, it can only begin producing that twisting force when in operation.
Torque in Electric Vehicles
Torque works slightly differently in EVs, which are powered by electric motors and batteries, not gas-burning engines. Let’s take a look at torque in off-road EVs.
The good news for EV owners is that the alterations in how the car gets power allow you to take advantage of instant torque instead of waiting until your vehicle is moving. In traditional vehicles, torque increases with higher RPMs. In EVs, that’s not the case.
If you’re wondering how this impacts the functionality of off-road EVs, it’s simple. You need extra torque to crawl along across rocks and other rough terrain. It’s hard to come by in gas-burning vehicles since the RPMs aren’t very high at slow speeds.
In an EV, instant torque means you don’t have to worry about the issue. Your car can deliver maximum torque as soon as you press the accelerator because the energy generated by the electric motor doesn’t need to move through a transmission and drivetrain. It gets routed directly to the wheels.
Why Torque Matters for Off-Roading
Wondering why the instant torque provided by off-road EVs helps them function more effectively off the beaten path? It’s simple. Because there’s no need to get up to speed to reach maximum torque, you can accelerate easily even when moving slowly.
When you’re rock crawling, mudding, or driving across uneven surfaces, you can’t do it at full speed. You need to keep things slow and steady to maintain your vehicle and the safety of its passengers.
Having maximum torque to help you accelerate from a stop on any surface makes it safer and easier to tackle serious trails. Off-road EVs tend to have higher torque than most vehicles, so you’ll feel more in control at slower speeds on challenging roads.
