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Is RWD better in snow/ice in electric cars? I'm from the Northeast US and RWD is pretty much extinct (in favor of AWD/4WD/FWD) with the exception being sports

Is RWD better in snow/ice in electric cars? I'm from the Northeast US and RWD is pretty much extinct (in favor of AWD/4WD/FWD) with the exception being sports cars. Does the weight distribution eliminate the advantage of FWD?

Auracle 3y ago
I don’t have an answer for you in that, but I will say I’d much rather drive a RWD car with snow tires than a FWD/AWD car/truck with all season tires. Of course, the latter with snow tires is even better. I live in Minnesota and I drive my Camaro all year. Whenever I borrow someone’s truck in the winter I’m always surprised at how awful the handling is because they think all-season tires combined with their truck is good. I’m not used to skidding when just trying to take a turn. I have literally plowed snow with the front of my car through conditions where trucks/SUVs were in the ditch at regular intervals. Of course, they probably get a kick out of pulling me out of my own driveway when it’s super icy and my two wheels aren’t enough to get going. That problem is annoying. Not being able to stop or turn effectively is dangerous.
- bryanlarsen 3y ago
  RWD with snow tires, the heavy weight of an EV battery and the instant computer traction control possible with electric motors is way better than FWD/AWD without any of those three. Reference: friends with Model 3 RWD in Ottawa, Canada.
PaulHoule 3y ago
We have all FF cars on our farm in upstate NY, I have sometimes driven FR rentals in the winter that had traction control and did OK. But it is something to drive an FF car with Hakka R’s and be hooning it up on ice when the police are tiptoeing so carefully with their FR cars.
undersuit 3y ago
In my experience with RWD in a super light pick up truck not a heavy sedan, 200-400lbs of sand in the back is great but the snow tires made it feel amazing. The weight is to provide traction because the backend is so light(because you're supposed to haul things making it heavy again), I doubt that the back of this sedan will be significantly lighter. I'd worry about getting high centered on a compressed block of snow.

Auracle 3y ago

I don’t have an answer for you in that, but I will say I’d much rather drive a RWD car with snow tires than a FWD/AWD car/truck with all season tires. Of course, the latter with snow tires is even better. I live in Minnesota and I drive my Camaro all year. Whenever I borrow someone’s truck in the winter I’m always surprised at how awful the handling is because they think all-season tires combined with their truck is good. I’m not used to skidding when just trying to take a turn. I have literally plowed snow with the front of my car through conditions where trucks/SUVs were in the ditch at regular intervals. Of course, they probably get a kick out of pulling me out of my own driveway when it’s super icy and my two wheels aren’t enough to get going. That problem is annoying. Not being able to stop or turn effectively is dangerous.

bryanlarsen 3y ago
RWD with snow tires, the heavy weight of an EV battery and the instant computer traction control possible with electric motors is way better than FWD/AWD without any of those three. Reference: friends with Model 3 RWD in Ottawa, Canada.

PaulHoule 3y ago

We have all FF cars on our farm in upstate NY, I have sometimes driven FR rentals in the winter that had traction control and did OK. But it is something to drive an FF car with Hakka R’s and be hooning it up on ice when the police are tiptoeing so carefully with their FR cars.

undersuit 3y ago

In my experience with RWD in a super light pick up truck not a heavy sedan, 200-400lbs of sand in the back is great but the snow tires made it feel amazing. The weight is to provide traction because the backend is so light(because you're supposed to haul things making it heavy again), I doubt that the back of this sedan will be significantly lighter. I'd worry about getting high centered on a compressed block of snow.