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RWD vs AWD - pros and cons?

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As the title says... ARE there really any pros/cons comparing RWD vs AWD on a vehicle, all else being equal?

Or is this one of those cases where the dual motor setup is considered an evolution, with no compelling reason to consider the single unit?

Enlighten me please; search didn't really turn up what I was really getting at.

adam
 
I think that only the first few years has RWD, and then it was an option for a short period after that. The AWD I think was introduced in late '14. I recall Elon saying he was giving it the "D". I think RWD ceased to be an option shortly there after. Depending on the year model, it may not have been an option to choose from.

Keep in mind that there are no differentials in these cars, so you don't have all the issues that normally come with ICE AWD cars. I don't really think there are any real cons to the dual motor setup aside from a little extra weight and better acceleration and better efficiency.

With the older vehicles (pre '15) see if you can determine if the motor has been replaced with a newer one. A lot of the older motors don't have the ceramic bearings that eventually cause the milling noise.
 
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Thanks H- I see you are in Murphy - I used to live down that way, well Lucas actually.

Actually a '15 90D that I am considering, but I see so many different models and options and similar price points, it's hard to know what matters. Let me know if you're passing through Sherman/Denison some time, would love to see yours and pick your brain!
 
More uneven tire wear on the RWD (rears will wear quicker than fronts due to regeneration), slower than the "D" cars. Potential advantage in terms of longevity and maintenance (no front motor to worry about, no front half-shafts, etc).
 
I would say tires but on our MY AWD it really likes to use much more rear tire than front. We had a 2017 75 RWD and I loved how it felt. Always felt more alive. Drove several AWD's over the years (loaners and friends). I don't think you can go wrong with any of them. RWD, AWD all fun to drive.
 
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For me tire wear is completely even front to back so maybe its just how you drive. I spend most of my time at 90+ and very short acceleration times.
I do a lot of driving in Nor-Cal and in the winter if you don't have AWD/4WD with snow tires then you have to put chains on. And well chains don't fit very well on 21's so I'm glad i got AWD and i have a second set of rims/tires for winter driving that are proper snow tires, so when i get to the chain control points i just tell them I'm AWD they look at the tire for the mountain/snowflake symbol and wave me through.
You can't drift very easily in an AWD one vs a rear drive only but I've never been a fan, and drifting is the slowest way to take a corner anyway. with AWD it sticks to the corners like a rocket sled on rails.
 
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I've got a RWD and am content with it. The tires wear evenly between the front and rear tires, never needed to rotate the tires in over 50K miles. Dual motors should give you better control and the unique thing with EV dual motors is you won't suffer the dreaded AWD fuel efficiency penalty that ICE vehicles have. You get twice the regen if you think about it and no drivetrain powerloss since Tesla Dual Motor does not use the conventional 3 differentials and 2 driveshafts that most AWD systems employ.
 
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I have personally always preferred RWD in my normal (ICE) cars to FWD, except in the case of the Land Rovers, which is a different proposition altogether and performance is not a consideration in that sense. However - seems to me AWD might be the way to go not only in and of itself, but in getting a newer vehicle (2015+) I might avoid some of the pitfalls of the earlier models?

In my searches, i see a TON of the 2012 and 2013 models for sale compared to the others - in normal circumstances a bit of a red flag, but again I don't know what I don't know. Could just be a bunch of bargains, or could be a bunch of folks desperate to dump them before the battery sputters its last, like a 10 year old iphone...

What are some good reputable for sale sites? So far I've just scoured the usual - carvana, cars.com, carmax, autonation, vroom, truecar... even this forum. Maybe that's for another thread :)
 
EV's have instant torque (and lots of it). So easier for the tires to lose traction with high torque under even moderate acceleration (in some cases).
For cars that have high HP, its common to have AWD (AMG E classes come to mind) so that the power can be better transferred to the ground.

Also, in low traction conditions, AWD is better. And I have no data to back it up, but I'd have to assume the overall weight balance of the D models is better than the single motor models. And a near 50/50 weight balance front to rear, is ideal in the car world.
 
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I also probably has a lot to do with the tech included. Autopilot was introduced at the same time the "D" was. In many cases for people it's not about having RWD vs. AWD - but having AP or some other included tech which happens to be included with predominantly AWD vehicles.

So a lot of the 12 to 14 cars don't have AP and the benefits that come with it - so I can see those cars not being as desired as the cars that came after it.
 
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That probably settles it then, though I can be swayed. I may not need all the performance and abilities of the AWD, but I do like having options and a little bit of future-proofing. This from the guy that kept his 1st gen iPod until the firewire port just gave up, and a qwerty dumb-phone until the phone provider finally cut me off... I can learn new things!! ~ 30 years in IT and the older I get the more of a Luddite I become... but these cars I like!
 
I've got a RWD and am content with it. The tires wear evenly between the front and rear tires, never needed to rotate the tires in over 50K miles.
That's interesting. My 2016 S75, left to its own devices, will chew through rear tires almost twice as quick as the fronts. This has been consistent over 120k miles, multiple alignments, and 5 sets of tires.
 
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That's interesting. My 2016 S75, left to its own devices, will chew through rear tires almost twice as quick as the fronts. This has been consistent over 120k miles, multiple alignments, and 5 sets of tires.
Pardon the tangent:

1) What's your lifetime Wh/mi?
2) How quickly do you tend to accelerate and how often do you gun it?
3) Is the tire wear on the rears even from tire shoulder to tire shoulder?
4) Have you confirmed that your wheel alignment is within spec?
5) Do you carry a lot weight in the trunk?
6) How many miles are you getting per set of tires and which brand/model tire have you tried?
7) What's your proportion of unobstructed highway miles compared to congested or metro driving?

Perhaps I have the anomaly but I'm surprised to see your rear tires wearing twice as fast as the fronts, and the fact that you're on your 5th set of tires. I have over 104K miles and I'm almost done with my 2nd set of tires.
 
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What about traction between RWD and AWD? Currently have two ICE AWD vehicles and had no problem in moving during the Winter storm that we had in Texas in February 21. Saw several RWD vehicles that could not get traction particularly on anything with a rise.
 
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Pardon the tangent:

1) What's your lifetime Wh/mi?
Approx. 315 wh/mi. I say "approximately" because I lost my lifetime stats when I upgraded my MCU last year, but I don't suspect it has changed much or at all since then.
2) How quickly do you tend to accelerate and how often do you gun it?
I drive... assertively? Not super fast, not super slow, but I'l get on it every now and then and am not averse to carrying speed through corners. I do live in the foothills/mountains and my usual commute is about 50% fairly rough 2-lane mountain/farm roads and 50% smooth flat freeway.

3) Is the tire wear on the rears even from tire shoulder to tire shoulder?
Yes, they've always worn pretty evenly, at least as even as others report given the fixed negative camber from the factory in the rear.

4) Have you confirmed that your wheel alignment is within spec?
Yes, many alignments over the course of ownership. I generally get an alignment done with every set of tires. I've HAVE had one or two that were significantly out of spec on at least a wheel or two (no doubt due to the rough roads I typically drive on).

5) Do you carry a lot weight in the trunk?
Nope.

6) How many miles are you getting per set of tires and which brand/model tire have you tried?
I've had two sets of the OEM Goodyear Eagles (each lasted approx. 20k miles) and three sets of Michelin MXM4s (each good for approx. 35k miles). the fifth set (MXM4) is still on the car and relatively new. I rotate the MXM4s myself in the driveway every 5k miles or so. I should mention they're 19" wheels in case that wasn't obvious.

7) What's your proportion of unobstructed highway miles compared to congested or metro driving?
As mentioned above, about 50% rural 2-lane roads (some in pretty terrible shape) and 50% un-congested freeway driving at ~75-80mph.

Perhaps I have the anomaly but I'm surprised to see your rear tires wearing twice as fast as the fronts, and the fact that you're on your 5th set of tires. I have over 104K miles and I'm almost done with my 2nd set of tires.
Interesting for sure. I have no doubt that my commute and local roads are a major contributing factor, with very old, rough pavement that literally grinds the tires down prematurely. But I definitely see much faster wear on the rears, and have always attributed it to them doing 100% of the acceleration and 90% of the braking via regen.
 
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Honestly - it's not hard to understand the wear on the tires if you are doing somewhat hard accelerations all the time. It's not a car issue as much as a driver choice. My previous car (Cobra) would go through tires quite often too based on my driving style....
 
Honestly - it's not hard to understand the wear on the tires if you are doing somewhat hard accelerations all the time.
Of course. But that same principle is magnified in RWD EVs because the same set of tires does almost all of the DEceleration too. In a typical ICE with a strong front brake bias, that wear is spread more evenly.

So it does have something to do with the car.
 
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