Power and Propulsion
Drivetrains

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Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Raptor Tops Fully Redesigned 2024 Ford Ranger Lineup

When Ford first reintroduced the Ranger to North America in 2019, it was welcomed largely because of its revered nameplate. But outside of a lauded 2.3-L four-cylinder turbo engine...

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News
Energy

Magna Shows off Electric Offroad Powertrain, In-Cabin Tech

If a mid-20th century engineer could time travel and see Magna’s electric off-road powertrains, they might ask “why is the rear differential so gigantic?” But that’s no...

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Technology Report
Power

Mazda’s Revived Rotary Engine Starts Production

Mazda, the automaker with the longest and richest history of using the Wankel rotary engine announced on June 22, 2023 that it resumed mass production of rotary engines for a new variant...

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Original Equipment
Connectivity

Mercedes-Benz Details All-New Platform for EV Vans

Mercedes-Benz has revealed its electrification strategy for its commercial and private van lineup. SAE Media was in attendance for the company’s online presentation in May that...

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Technical Innovation
Design

ZF Premieres AxTrax 2 Electric Axle Platform at ACT Expo

ZF unveiled its all-new AxTrax 2 electric axle platform at the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo in Anaheim, California. The fully integrated and modular e-powertrain...

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Road Ready
Power

Lincoln Unveils Redesigned 2024 Nautilus SUV

With aviation-inspired design elements, new powertrains and a larger footprint, Lincoln’s redesigned 2024 Navigator comes to showrooms early in 2024 to compete in the luxury midsize SUV...

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Road Ready
Power

Dodge Ready with a Sting for the Compact-SUV Market

If you accept that the oddball and odd-sized Journey never was a legit rival for the likes of the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4 and Ford Escape — and it wasn’t — Stellantis’ Dodge...

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Technology Report
Test & Measurement

SAE Launches New Standards Document to Rate Power of Electrified Vehicles

In late February 2023, SAE International announced the release of a standards document to provide a common testing procedure to rate the maximum power of...

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Road Ready
Power

Mazda’s 2024 CX-90 Offers Turbo I-6, PHEV Propulsion

With crossover SUVs now the backbone of its North American sales volume, Mazda this week revealed the CX-90 SUV, a fullsize 3-row model to serve as the brand’s flagship when it...

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News
Power

Tuning the 2024 Corvette E-Ray for Exceptional Drivability

The challenge with any hybrid-electric vehicle is programming two propulsion sources to provide seamless response in every driving mode—acceleration, braking, cruising, etc....

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Q&A
Power

Gearing Dana for the EV Future

As Dana Inc. transitions further into electrified systems, it pays to have a Mechatronics engineer leading the company’s technology charge. Giulio Ornella, Dana’s VP of Global Engineering, has been...

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Road Ready
Propulsion

Hub-Motoring in Lordstown’s Novel Endurance

“It’s been exciting to create a new vehicle from the ground up,” Chi Yip, Lordstown Motors’ director of vehicle integration, asserted from the passenger seat, as we accelerated onto...

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Technical Innovation
Motion Control

EV Startup Prepares to Enter Commercial Market with Novel EAxle

Startup commercial electric vehicle manufacturer Harbinger is on a torrid work pace. Design, CAE simulation, supplier sourcing, test vehicle builds and other engineering...

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News
Connectivity

Hyundai Puts the N in Performance

Just a decade ago, the idea of Hyundai challenging the industry’s established performance brands would have elicited snickers from many executives and engineers. Hyundai’s best effort in the sports...

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News
Propulsion

Making the Torque-Transfer Transition

A reckoning has arrived at suppliers whose product portfolios, engineering resources, and R&D activities are not aligned with the EV horizon. The challenge of pivoting their focus to...

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News
Propulsion

SAE WCX 2022: Driveline Flexibility Is Key for Electrification

The electrification of light-vehicle powertrains is now not just probable, it is inevitable. OEMs and suppliers around the world are looking at all possible means to reduce...

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News
Propulsion

Ford Engineered the 2022 Bronco to Give Jeep the Willies

Ford engineers refused to utter a single bad word about Jeep Wrangler during the course of the week-long 2022 Bronco media drive event in Austin, Texas. In fact, some among that...

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Articles
Power

Making the Case for In-Wheel Motors

Much of an IC engine-powered vehicle’s ride, handling, sound and overall character derives from the engine. Some believe that electric vehicles (EVs), propelled by electric motors with no intake or...

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News
Power

2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Grows All Around

When engineering an upscale, 3-row Jeep SUV, the development spider charts must get pretty crowded. You’ll need lots of in-cabin technology and thoughtful features for the third-row family...

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News
Unmanned Systems

Toyota Takes Corolla to the ‘Truck’ Side

With a globally revered nameplate in the Corolla sedan – but global buyers gravitating to SUVs – Toyota arrived at the marketing solution that’s been rumored for some time, revealing...

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Road Ready
Propulsion

After a 30-Year Hiatus, Jeep Remakes the Wagoneer

You won’t have a hard time distinguishing the all-new 2022 Jeep Wagoneer from the old one. Automotive design and engineering have moved on dramatically in 30 years, even if the...

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News
Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Bosch’s EV Efficiency Upgrade: Continuously Variable Transmissions

As electric vehicles (EVs) move from niche offerings to mainstream roles in the product portfolios of the world’s traditional automakers, research and development to...

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Road Ready
Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Raptor 4-Door-Only for 2021; R Version Coming Next Year

Ford has unveiled its new Raptor, the third generation of the high-speed, off-road version of the F-150 pickup truck. Available only in a four-door SuperCrew configuration, the...

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What We’re Driving
Manned Systems

When a Van Beats a Pickup

As a utilitarian tool, the 2021 Great American Pickup truck has some fundamental flaws. Its open bed jeopardizes any cargo that’s valuable (exposing your payload to the world) or not waterproof. Worse,...

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What We’re Driving
Power

2021 Nissan Kicks SV

Since its U.S. launch for the ’18 model year, the positioning of the Kicks has puzzled me. Though Nissan was anxious to bill it a “crossover,” I think most would call it a “car.” Nissan hardly is alone in...

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Articles
Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Gearing EVs for Greater Efficiency

A long-touted benefit of electric vehicles has been the utter simplicity of their drivetrains. With just a pair of reduction gears between the traction motor and final drive, single-speed gearing helps...

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News
Design

CES 2021: Magna Execs Warn of Impending EV Complexities

The industry’s transition to electrified, and ultimately fully electric, vehicles is bringing far greater complexity in product development and technology-management overall,...

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News
Manufacturing & Prototyping

Hyundai Details First EV-Dedicated Vehicle Architecture

The Hyundai Motor Group on December 1 revealed E-GMP, its first vehicle architecture dedicated for electric vehicles (EVs). The E-GMP platform is oriented around a rear-wheel-drive...

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News
Mechanical & Fluid Systems

Volkswagen Unveils New-Generation Golf R

Although the memorable 6-cylinder character of the original R32 has given way to turbocharged 4-cylinder propulsion in recent years, Volkswagen continues to deliver V6-type power for the...

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