GKN demonstrates electric torque-vectoring system

Recently demonstrated to The Engineer at the firm’s Wintertest proving ground in Arjeplog, Northern Sweden, the so-called ‘e-Twinster’ system is a plug-in hybrid module claimed to make it simpler for vehicle platforms to offer electric all-wheel drive and torque vectoring.

The technology combines the firm’s existing eAxle technology - already used on plug-in hybrids including the Volvo XC90 T8, and BMW i8 - with the twin-clutch torque vectoring technology featured in both the Ford Focus RS and Range Rover Evoque.

The technology was demonstrated on a prototype version of the Volvo XC90 T8 chosen partly because GKN already supplies the vehicle’s electric motor module. In the vehicle, a 60kW, 240Nm electric motor drives an electric axle with a transmission ratio of 1:10. A dual-clutch Twinster system then vectors the resulting 2,400Nm of torque between the rear wheels.

Presented alongside a conventional version of the car, the prototype vehicle demonstrated significantly superior dynamic response and handling on the frozen lake at the heart of the firm’s winter test facility.