My AWD Tesla Model Y is RWD most of the time. So what is the point of AWD?

[@tomrichardhansen3894]

Very nice and interesting video Ian, as always. I have a 21 M3 LR Dual Motor and live in Norway. In winter where I live, it’s slippery, snowy conditions from December through March. it’s incredible how the both motors work together in those conditions. The most satisfying experience I’ve had in winter was when a neighbour of mine was stuck in the snow with his Volvo wagon family car, and I had to pull him out of the snow. The Tesla did this without losing traction at all. I’ve also done some high speed runs in Germany, on the autobahn. I bet both motors were pretty active when I floored the pedal and saw the BMWs disappear in my rear wiew mirror 😂

[@tafl-9198]

@@tomrichardhansen3894 I found the AWD in my 2021 LR to be better than in newer AWD Teslas I have tried. As you write, it just never lost traction. I could hammer it on wet roads and never had any wheel spin (even with the acc boost). Newer AWD Teslas I have tried had a lot of slippage on wet roads. I even had the 2024 Model 3 Performance fish-tail in the rain even though I didnt hammer it. Feels like rear wheel bias is much much higher in newer models. But what do I know 😅

[@ricarmig]

I have the dual motor and I wouldn’t change: - more power - better distributed traction - faster heating / preconditioning - more energy regeneration (though it still tenha to use the rear one) - when driving “actively” the front motor helps

[@kadelarson2535]

The dual motors also come with the premium audio, which I think is worth it by itself.

[@Marki555]

is preconditioning (heating up the battery) using also the front motor? I have seen video with ScanMyTesla where it uses only the rear and it makes sense as the front is a different type of motor.

[@ricarmig]

@ AFAIK and using my “commander” at the beginning: - dual motor: the front motor is used for preconditioning + strong acceleration or need of power + grip (snow, etc). Important: when I “just” had the long range (without the acceleration boost pack) the front engine was almost a dead weight!!! It was used almost exclusively just for the preconditioning! With the acceleration boost pack or people with the performance, it will use more the front engine Honestly, today I would be between the RWD or the performance, the standard AWD Dual motor LR without the acceleration boost is too dull and has two engines, but front one is working 1% of the time… - single motor: everything the rear motor.

[@Ferdinando1970]

Safety is improved with AWD. Sure, you’re not using AWD most of the time but the time you’re using it, it might be saving your life

[@vaddimka]

I agree about saving your life part, but if you look at statistics (same car, 2WD vs AWD), most of the time AWD cars will have higher fatality rates. Your guess is as good as mine, but I suspect that they tend to be stable up to higher speeds. So like if a driver would crash the car anyways, with 2WD version it would likely happen at a lower speed. It's weird with teslas, because only Plaid versions have torque vectoring (Model 3/Y doesn't even have brake assisted torque vectoring, while almost all other AWD cars do like e-trons, ID.4, Q5, mazdas etc.) Which means that it isn't too forgiving in turns.

[@peteroffpist1621]

@@Ferdinando1970 I have and still own both Dual and RWD. I am used to real winters. AWD gives a false feeling of security. When a AWD car looses its grip you are guaranteed lost. But uphill a steep slope AWD shines.

[@sploders1019]

@@vaddimka Without a source, I can’t confirm, but my guess is that those statistics are skewed. Not everyone needs AWD. The people who need it are more likely to buy it, and they often need it because of recurring conditions that reduce traction, which would also increase the number of accidents

[@Rhaman68]

@@Ferdinando1970 “Safety improved?” Data says otherwise and while your perception may be based on your experience, thusly I wonder about what happened to you might be different. You see, cars have other brake system functions like ABS or dynamic steering control that does contribute to safety, but with limitations. The “D” is AWD stands for DRIVE nothing else. So, what is the basis of your “safety” claim? Thanks.

[@Rhaman68]

@@peteroffpist1621Really? Grip is based on friction between tires and surface. If the steep hill you mention lacks grip due to snow, ice, mud, all of the wheels will be afflicted. Hence, no go.

[@albertoporras04]

Think about other aspects of the car - how often would most people use all of the range, or all of the power, or all of the braking ability, or all of the passenger and cargo space, or the abs, or the stability control, etc , etc. Many of the aspects of the car are only used are to the full capacity only very occasionally, but when you need it, you need it.

[@JanErik1986]

Regarding permanent AWD in case of slippery conditions, as you mentioned at 16:36, this is already programmed into the Tesla. As soon as the Tesla detects that it's slippery and AWD is needed, it instantly switches on permanent 50/50 for ~10 minutes (or until conditions improve). Try it when you get some snow or ice - be aggressive on the accelerator for a sec, and you'll see you suddenly have 50/50 power.

[@jacobmaz8157]

@@JanErik1986 sick!

[@eternalbalance7703]

Brilliant! I believe the opposing motors may slow/ regen the inner wheel, much like a torque vector control. .

[@apsolltd]

Excellent video, please remember that the rear motor is a high efficiency permanent magnet motor while the front is a simple induction motor which can easily torque sleep. Additionally as you have shown the front motor may cut in for stability reasons. DB

[@vicheaterx]

@@apsolltd also mostly downhill and almost dry road makes it actually very smart not to engage the front motor. God forbid you would ever need it at 50-60 mph or more and not have it

[@Marki555]

Yes, also the front motor is more efficient in high speed, so a video on a highway would be interesting.

[@gallienus172]

Very informative video. Gardenstown looks like an absolutely fabulous place driving down that single track road, though, that's nightmare inducing.

[@raymitchell3757]

Hi Ian, an excellent and interesting video.Cornwall does not get much snow but we get a lot of rain, dirty muddy lanes and for some shoots muddy fields 4wd a necessity. I like to press on at times too. I think the power and grip of my awd long range is the choice for me. If you only drive Miss Daisey then the rear wheel would be more than adequate. I don't dare get a Teslogic box as I would look at that rather than the road.........

[@SirDragonClaw]

Remember that the rear motor is a high efficiency permanent magnet motor while the front is an induction motor which has lower parasitic losses while not being used. Also if you get the performance model you can change the distribution from front to back etc...

[@kylecoolky1189]

It was driving me mad when you didn’t notice that one motor was accelerating while the other was regening the first 4 or 5 times it did it 😭 But I think it does have to do with cornering. The first few times you didn’t notice it, it was regening the rear and accelerating the front, but when you didn’t notice notice it, it was the other way around. But in nearly every case, it was during a corner. So the AWD has more benefits than many may think. It can provide better cornering and stability in situations other than just grip performance.

[@richardmolby9189]

Thanks for a very informative video and as a bonus, fantastic scenery

[@Scottbaird7593]

Great video! I’m originally from Inverallochy but now stay in Fife. I’ve just ordered a MY RWD and pick up from Glasgow at the end of the month. Your videos were a big influence for us moving to EV and in particular Tesla. Keep up the great work.

[@greghudson9717]

Don't forget to use Ians referral code to save some money on the purchase price.

[@TheWickedBadGamer]

I would love to see the same route in snow to see the difference. Great video.

[@Porrohman19]

Would also be interesting to see if there’s any difference on the same route in the rain.

[@neverfollow7410]

16:50 I believe that track mode on the S version allow to percentage of power between the front and the rear, however it would be interesting to check if the 4 wheels modes could be set something may be great on snow or ice.

[@tafl-9198]

Very good video and I completely agree. I switched to RWD. Very efficient and works fine in the snow. Not as good as my previous AWD, but fine for me. However I do find that rear wheel bias is larger in newer AWD Teslas. Even when accelerating. Never had any tire slip in my 2021 Model 3 LR AWD + Boost (Dec 2020 Fremont) even when hammering it on wet roads or roads with a thin layer of snow. Got a lot of that in the 2022+ models I tested. Even had a 2024 Model 3 Performance fishtail a bit during a right turn at a stop light in the rain. Didnt push it or anything. Also we got a lot of snow in January 2024 and a lot of posts in the FB groups were about people getting stuck with the rear wheels of their AWD Model Ys. Didnt seem to pull much on the front wheels. Replies were that they had to accelerate hard to engage AWD but not sure if it worked. Not ideal either way.

[@ftb2772]

Ive got all season tyres on my SR+ looking forward to see if its just as capable or less than the old fwd car with all seasons.

[@tafl-9198]

@@ftb2772 my friend has the CrossClimate2 on his Model Y SR RWD and they did just fine in the snow.

[@OveToranger]

Offroad-assist - turn in on and you'll definitely see the difference !

[@tafl-9198]

@@OveToranger But Model S and Model 3 doesnt have off-road assist do they ?

[@OveToranger]

@@tafl-9198 2014 Mod S most certainly didn't have it Model 3 I don't know - don't own one, the AWD should have it - I guess the LR and Performance 4WD - in the Tesla owners manual it says: _Off-Road Assist (All-Wheel Drive vehicles only)_ is designed to provide overall improvements when driving off-road. In addition to allowing the wheels to spin, Off-Road Assist balances the torque between the front and rear motors to optimize traction. Off-Road Assist improves traction on rough and soft surfaces where one side of the vehicle may lose traction while the other side still has traction. When Off-Road Assist is on, the accelerator pedal provides more gradual torque, which is useful for crawling at low speeds (for example, over rocky surfaces). When enabled, Off-Road displays on the touchscreen above the driving speed.

[@CoolmpcVR]

Wanting to move from a discovery sport to a tesla y awd i would suggest that getting awd isn't just about its use day to day when dry, safe and happy. Its about having that security when your car aqua planes, you hit black ice or run into traction issues so basically when conditions on the road are dangerous. It would be really interesting seeing testing with those sort of things as that's when that motor would shine I would think and when you would want it too.

[@bsaxman2012]

Excellent video! (subscriber from Dallas, TX)

[@zoltanberkes8559]

You don't need to switch (lock) to AWD, because it is always in AWD. Both motor spins all the time. Therefore, the motor controller can apply some force for torque vectoring on any motor at any time. It can be turned on/off in a fraction (less then a thousands) of a second. I think it's much better than a locked AWD.

[@justgetatesla]

Whilst that is true I have examples of it not engaging the front motor and the car sliding…

[@Kaiser-ks3yq]

"I think it's much better than a locked AWD." Any reason why? I mean the pros and cons of locked AWD (such as a viscous centre diff like in the subaru impreza) would be: Pros: (of a "locked" system) - Predictable grip, as electrically controlled systems are unpredictable, they change their torque split depending on everything from the temperature, wheel angle, throttle position, even the WIPER SPEED, whereas a viscous centre diff is the same torque split the entire time (well I should say speed split, as if the front axle starts slipping, the viscous diff sends power to the rear) - Potentially faster reaction time, as many automatic AWD systems don't react very quickly to put torque to the rear wheels after the fronts are slipping, whereas if the power was always going to both axles, there's no delay. - Potentially faster 0-60, as in a system where the front and rear are loosely connected (or not connected at all like in an electric car) if one axle starts slipping, normally the power would be sent to the axle that still has grip (to keep the speed equalised across the axles) whereas especially in an EV drivetrain if the front axle loses grip, but the rear still has loads of grip, the front motor just turns off for a few fractions of a second. - Better control even without driver aids, as for instance threshold braking is easier, as if the rear locks, the front will be slowed down (and lock), and when you back off the brakes to unlock the locked axle, the other axle won't stop slowing the vehicle, as the two axles are almost synchronised to the same speed, whereas other systems, especially 2wd or electric drivetrains all four wheels are almost fully independent, so one could be locked up whilst the other three are hardly braking at all. Pros: (of a *NON* "locked" system) - More electronic interference permitted, especially in an EV drivetrain, this can lead to unpredictable handling, but it means if you nail the throttle and point the steering round the corner, it can make anyone feel like Kimi Räikkönen, with the car automatically sending more power to the front if you're about to spin out, instead of relying on the driver countersteering for example. - Safer traction/stability control/ABS, especially EV drivetrains, as viscous centre diffs work under acceleration OR braking, so an EV for instance could decide to only brake on the front axle under ABS, to leave the rear spinning to "sample" vehicle speed whilst braking, or only accelerate on one axle to know speed under acceleration, for instance teslas never allow all four wheels to spin under power, even with everything "switched off", whereas traditional AWD systems either have all four wheels spinning, or no wheels pretty much, the reason why tesla do this becomes obvious if you nail the throttle in the snow, vs doing the same in an rs3 quattro, in the tesla the speedo would say how fast the car is actually going, (i.e. 5mph when going 5mph, 10mph at 10mph etc) but the quattro has faster acceleration in the snow, as it allows all four wheels to accelerate, but when doing 5mph or 10mph will just show somewhere between 40mph to 80mph on the speedo as the wheels are just spinning, engine bouncing off the limiter in 3rd or 4th, which is quicker, but much more playful, which could be dangerous. Also I put "locked" in quotation marks because "locked" AWD means AWD with limited slip centre diff, actually locking the front and rear axles together required a transfer case, and is specifically referred to as 4WD, or four wheel drive, and is better at offroad applications, but worse for onroad, as it is prone to damage if used on dry grippy roads, and if used in the snow, is prone to causing understeer, as it essentially gives the car a front welded diff (along with locking all the other wheels together) but this front welded diff effect means on turn in the front could just completely break free resulting in complete understeer. Now I completely see why if you're someone who isn't interested in learning performance driving skills (like most people), so you rely on computers to control skids, and you drive slightly slower to improve safety, I can see why, but to be fair, the type of AWD present in teslas just helps slightly with getting unstuck, helps with 0-60 times, and helps electronically control INTENTIONAL skids, if you skid when cornering or braking it won't be any better than a RWD tesla, but if you nail the throttle to try to drift, it will help you show off. Watch tyre reviews video of testing audi quattro AWD system vs tesla AWD system, it's quite good and mention most of my points

[@victorseal9047]

Come to Québec in winter, yes we need a AWD.😅

[@zachlafond2652]

or invest in a set of dedicated snow tires. My rwd did fine in Wisconsin last winter. Better than any fwd i've ever owned.

[@stevebbbbi5438]

Great video and a insight on duel motor version. I live in North---North America where we get ton's of snow 🌨. Like you said I went with same car as you for fog lights, premium stereo, and reassurance in winter. I guess it's a great thing that both motors don't run all the time or you would not get very good battery range .

[@greghudson9717]

Re the range... I had a Subaru permanent AWD, and it managed to get decent fuel economy, so by the looks of this video, Tesla isn't very efficient at all when both motors are running. BTW, I have a RWD Model Y, and I'm in Australia, which believe it or not, has LOADS of snow (for a few months of the year). Mind you, I did manage to get my RWD bogged in 1 inch of mud, and that was here in the city of Melbourne. It cost me $300 to get pulled out. (The split mode had no effect at all 😞

[@fredcottrell853]

I had a 2019 RWD long range model M3. My son has a 2022 AWD M3. The main disadvantage of the RWD is the rear tires wear out significantly faster. This is probably due to both acceleration with only the rear wheels and only breaking with the rear wheels. An advantage of the RWD is an increase in mileage of about 8% or 9% over the AWD.

[@exe889]

@@fredcottrell853 yeah but you never have to change the front tyres

[@ih2898]

Nice video. I always understood AWD to be one axle is driving the car in most cases. When the car detects that the active axle is needing assistance (low traction for example) it will then send power (as needed) to the other axle. Many people assume that AWD means that the 2 axles share the power all the time. That I believe is more of a 4X4. Here where I live, with lots of snow in the winter, an AWD helps. Especially I would believe for the model 3 which is so low. This will be our first winter with the model 3. I honestly think that in the vast majority of the time (winter very much included) RWD would be enough. Depends if you feel comfortable with that concept of most of the time.

[@GaryClarke]

Speaking (typing?) as someone who has been teetering on the brink of ‘just getting a Tesla’ in recent weeks, that was another useful and fascinating video, thank you. Living in rural northern England the AWD does appeal re winter driving (I’m on 24-hour call-out) but you’re right for the vast majority of the time it would be unnecessary. Decisions, decisions….

[@enyaq_gorm]

Spend the money on good all season tyres instead, much more important in determining grip

[@tomhayden9672]

Dual Motor models are quicker (acceleration) both as able to put more power down and because the front helps deliver power. Worth it in my opinion!

[@enyaq_gorm]

@@tomhayden9672 but really what @garyclarke has in mind for winter driving I suspect

[@denyswall]

hello, you can force the front motor into running mode when you activate the "off-road" mode in the dynamic menu. the power distribution is more or less 70-30% between rear and front. very practical on snowy roads or muddy paths. the dual motor is only used for acceleration or if you want more traction in difficult conditions (manual activation). the preconditioning is also faster because since the front motor is an induction motor it heats up more, it is started during preconditioning. Now it is true that for everyday use, with mild weather conditions (clear road in winter), the dual engine is a luxury...

[@robertesson3011]

Nice video with a lot of information covered. Even better that you are driving my local roads and paused at the first junction you came upon as I knew I recognised it. You have gained another subscriber as it will be interesting to see you videos when our normal winter weather arrives like the past week.

[@justgetatesla]

Thanks! Snow driving on this week’s video when it drops…

[@anthonydyer3939]

With the snow coming up, one idea I’ve got for your video is the option to lock the diff. On ordinary split diff cars a wheel on dry road doesn’t spin, while the wheel on ice is spinning with no traction at all. I think that would be good content to show on your channel! I can’t remember how to lock the diff, but definitely saw the option in the instructions somewhere. Edit: The option to try is in Controls > Dynamics > Slip Start Edit 2: Sadly you can’t lock the diff on a Model 3. Dammit!

[@Tommmmmmmmmmmm]

I have a Model 3 Performance and in Track Mode, it allows the front motor to regen a significant amount. Braking solely using regen from high speeds in Track Mode feels nice and smooth due to the weight transfer

[@CCa-qe3hk]

What would a normal person need "Track Mode" for?

[@RightlyDividingToday]

🚗Makes you feel like Parnelly Jones❤ on the way to and from the shopping center 😁

[@justgetatesla]

I don’t think people who’ve never driven a car with an electric motor understand just how good the drivetrain is for pressing on. Mid corner regen to tuck the front into the bend. Sensational fun!

[@CCa-qe3hk]

@@justgetatesla Yeah but we shouldn't treat roads as race tracks! A normal person just driving on normal roads doesn't need "Track Mode"! It's ridicoulos in my personal opinion to pay the extra money for a second faster from 0-60, while the car already is extremely fast! The whole world seems to have gone crazy! Not long ago we would have said 0-60 in seven seconds is pretty good and now all of a sudden it's considered slow... No it's not! 0-60 in 3,6 seconds is just insanity and not healthy at all! Heared of a lot of Model 3 drivers getting dizzy. That's far to dangerous! There is a reason why Indy Car and and Fornula 1 drivers need a special licence. They are trained to deal with that kind of acceleration, average humans are not!

[@lenimbery7038]

I too have a RWD Y and 99% of the time it's all one will ever need. That said, I'm planning on replacing it with an AWD model Y next spring. I live on a mountain side with very steep streets and though I only get about a week or two of snow per year, it's treacherous so in these instances I'd need the AWD

[@shanedavis9166]

I'd have the new RWD Y in a heartbeat.

[@LookatBowen]

For £5K more the all wheel drive is worth it, granted in the winter time one wants more traction especially in icy locations. Plus for that extra burst of speed on the motorways when passing vehicles, plus as your tests showed in cornering, that's when the front wheels came on. Great video. That app is interesting.

[@noeltaganahan2013]

Hello, I really appreciate this informative video. Are you going to do another similar testing in snowy weather? Thanks!

[@hfoflashla9096]

I think it’s funny how often wile regen is on at the rear and the comparison is made, when the front is used it is actually using energy and regenerating more or in addition to to the rear. So it is more for control and stability.

[@SimonByrne]

Don't forget about heating, especially with the cold weather on the way, two motors means more heat as the car will run one inefficiently to generate heat, this is reduced in the rwd as there's only one - my rwd is still great in cold weather though

[@wl2590]

I would like to see a winter driving video using that app. I wonder how different the power split would be- how often would the front motor be used for extra stability?

[@justgetatesla]

As I said in the video, more testing to come!

[@BobbieGWhiz]

I think most people buy all wheel drive for snowy conditions. By the way, I have a Model 3 RWD in New England. My car did good on snowy roads with all season tires. I recently retired and therefore have the luxury of avoiding driving on very snowy days.

[@RedDragon72q]

So the all wheel drive is better because the front motor will kick in during traction issues. They showed it in the "Does Tesla Build a Good AWD System? We Put The Model Y On The TFL Slip Test To Find Out!" video. The front wheel test did fail but that is the most difficult test and a lot of vehicles fail. Anyways great video for the sights alone but the test you were showing was very eye opening. Keep it up!

[@Jaw0lf]

I think the all wheel drive is there to help you keep grip when you are on a more slippery surface. So to me it is nice to have, but if you drive more muddy paths or small country roads, it may be a betteridea for all wheel drive. If mostly it is motorways, then RWD is great.

[@waynebrown5852]

I have just been looking at a model Y for my wife as second car, just watched your video excellent as always but has put another spanner in the works because when we went to Tesla at the Trafford Centre we thought about the twin motor sales person said if a new one you get 0% finance and free 1 year supper charging, But she said we have a lot of cars coming off h/p and some very good byes not sure know .

[@paulcantrell01451]

I have the performance Model 3, my daughter has the RWD... I'm of the opinion that having a good set of snow tires ( mounted on an extra set of rims ) has more effect than AWD. She gets significantly better mileage ( 240 Wh / mile vs my 270 ). Not all of that is the AWD, the performance tires also contribute to the higher consumption. I'd also prefer the LFP battery chemistry if I ever trade my car in...

[@JBoy340a]

Interesting video. I may have to get this software to see how often my X and 3 LR use their front drive.

[@ftb2772]

Interesting to see same route in more wintery conditions. Bit of snow ❄️

[@justgetatesla]

Keep watching the channel! That will be coming…

[@billybobbob3003]

@@justgetatesla ill tell you the point its more cv axles to replace.

[@brox8538]

Obviously they chose to let just the read motor drive the car for most of the time because its more efficient to "push" the car than to "pull" the car. But the front motor is really useful for more regenerative breaking, battery heating, and getting out of low-traction situations.

[@carlosgonzalezbarragan3975]

Cogratulations. Good video, goog information. I hve a Model 3 SR Highland. See you from Spain

[@Jarptchow85]

In the highland the speakers were not the same for the rear wheel drive in Sweden when i bought it. I got the premium speaker system by choosing the AWD. And as you pointed out when living in climates where there is snow and ice it comes in handy to have all wheel drive.

[@chriswatson9700]

Great video…surprising that the rear wheel bias is so pronounced. I think if you’re in southern Scotland there’s a real decision to be made but agree that in the north that level of reassurance is probably worth the extra

[@barriedear5990]

Very interesting. I had thought AWD would put less work on each motor and therefore increase reliability. I guess not.

[@Pentix51]

i never knew it did this. but it makes sense.

[@OveToranger]

Would've be interesting to see how AWD does when on snow/offroad-assist It might be a bit more useful then - I certainly have enjoyed it during winter here in Norway

[@StephenButlerOne]

The breaking the fornt while powering the back, will most likely it just breaking on the inside fornt on the turn in. Its like tourque Vectoring, but in stead of adding power to the outside, its breaking the inside. Most awd cars that state torque vectoring actilly do this, as its simpler and cheaper. I think its called brake based torque vectoring, but that's a marking spin, id call it brake vectoring, or regenerative vectoring, in this instance.

[@pietersmit621]

With single motor in the front how can it accelerate or decelerate only one wheel? Must involve the breaks?

[@StephenButlerOne]

@@pietersmit621 hope this helps , edited. guesses ann open e diff, but that's not quoted how it does it, but her is a brief overview form Gemini . While the eDiff on the rear axle allows for fine-grained control between the two rear wheels, the dual-motor setup in Teslas gives it the ability to power any individual wheel independently, including a single front wheel. Here's how it works: * Independent Motors: Each axle has its own electric motor, allowing for independent control of the front and rear wheels. * Electronic Control: Tesla's sophisticated software can precisely adjust the power delivered to each motor. This means it can send power to just the left front wheel, the right front wheel, or any other combination of wheels. Why is this useful? * Traction Control: In slippery conditions, the system can direct power to the wheel(s) with the most grip, maximizing traction. * Stability: By adjusting power to individual wheels, the car can help maintain stability and prevent skidding. * Off-Roading: While not a dedicated off-roader, this capability can help Teslas navigate some challenging terrain. So, while the eDiff itself isn't on the front axle, the overall system design allows for highly flexible and precise power distribution to all four wheels, including a single front wheel when needed.

[@КалинКръстев-э2д]

Great vid. I am using different app to check these stats and it goes inline with your observations/data. I have noticed also that when stopping down to zero it applies the front motor regen. However this not really a consistent behaviour. As far as “locking” it in to have even split between the motors, you can try off-road assist mode. I have used it only once so far and the split was almost 50/50.

[@ddb5736]

If you are on a budget and "must" have a Tesla, it makes sense to go for the RWD if you think you don't need the AWD. But based on what I know, I would not recommend it. The AWD is not just traction, is a safety feature, besides giving you additional power to move quickly out of a potential hazard zone, you also get much better stability and control, including the additional help from the Autopilot/FSD system even when you are not using it since the system will activate to help you avoid accidents if needed. If you are planning to get a new Tesla, aim for the AWD. If extreme acceleraiton is not for you, forget about the Performance and Plaid models and aim for the long range AWD. I think is the very best option for your money.

[@Marki555]

In 99% of driving it doesn't matter. However it does matter in 1% of borderline situations. But you should always remember that AWD helps in acceleration, traction or stability, but doesn't help in braking (especially on slippery surfaces).

[@pppscooby]

Its only recently that tesla has bought out the long range rear wheel drive in the M3 and i think the MY too, best range models too, also If traction is a concern in winter then better to get a good set of winter tyres, they are better than 4x4 on summers.

[@justgetatesla]

Tyres make a huge difference

[@lloydbentley3342]

Great video. Thank you.

[@AdrianHilder]

On the basis winter tyres or something like Michelin Climate Control 2 tyres is the first priority for cold or actual ice and snow on the road, AWD isn't needed even for winter. It's a nice to have if you also use the right tyre for the cold conditions.

[@johnmckay1423]

I managed to get my AWD model 3 stuck - obviously my fault, but I was surprised how useless the AWD was. Steep downhill narrow road with odd camber meant one rear wheel almost unweighted. I had stopped to let a truck past and needed to reverse. It just span one rear wheel - didn't send any power to the front. I also had to wait for help as the parking brake only works on the rear and it wouldn't hold with grip only from one side so I had to sit with my foot on the brake pedal until someone came to push me out.

[@JohnTovar-ks8dp]

I've seen video of a Tesla AWD successfully climbing a totally iced driveway. To me AWD is a must.

[@flowntn1989]

Fascinating insights, very clearly presented, excellent. The dual motor came obligatory with the long range, Single motor less range, though, finally, Tesla is selling Single motor long range models. The RWD omissions are across all markets I believe, lower spec audio, no fog lights, and annoyingly missing some basic interior lighting components.

[@justgetatesla]

Incorrect - I showed graphics showing global markets. It is solely the cars built in North America that omit things like speakers - everywhere else in the world gets the exact same car as the AWD with the only difference being the lack of a front motor

[@flowntn1989]

@ In your rather acerbic vernacular: Incorrect. I have a 12/20 delivered M3 SR+ made in China which has the full panoply of deletions. Various Tesla Facebook groups posts all likewise testify to those deletions.

[@justgetatesla]

I am talking about buying 2024 cars in 2024. Obviously older cars built to different specs had different features

[@PT456C]

I’ve noticed my car nags me less now too, using AP. Maybe the internal camera is monitoring the driver’s eyes more, because at night time it still seems to nag.

[@ronolsberg1468]

The Model Y in the US has a driving mode called "Off Road" (could be a similar name). Try enabling that then monitor the front and rear power distribution. I believe this mode remaps the throttle and applies approximately 50/50 power distribution front to rear. BTW, In parts of the video the front motor was actually applying positive power to the front motor while the rear motor was in regen. I believe this only happened on tight cornering and probably is part of the stability control. I believe "Scan My Tesla" can monitor all of these same parameters while driving?

[@tomsagrak1943]

You are right, this mode enables both motors permanently, it's also available here in Europe.

[@peterhabel]

Would be interesting to see how it distributes the balance between the motors with snow and ice on the road...

[@justgetatesla]

Badly….

[@kadelarson2535]

I'd love to see the same test but with a performance model.

[@larsolivius]

At 20 minutes in, it seems that it is propulsion biased as the front motor kicked in when reversing downhill.

[@dvdmessage]

Great video, I was hoping that you were going to go in a muddy field or a muddy Lane and Accelerate hard to see how the Motors worked. Maybe when you get some snow you could redo a shorter video. Thumbs up from me, model 3 driver long range

[@larsolivius]

At 22 minutes in, I think that what you observed could be a Tesla interpretation of "torque vectoring"

[@Shabobidhuffy]

Simple. rwd very practical, less parts less weight . Most people should get that. Duel motor/ performance, do you like accelerating very fast? Definitely get the duel/performance! The rear wheel drive is painfully slow compared to the performance like they’re two completely different vehicles. Performance or even dual motor with acceleration boost is nearly 2 x 0 to 60. Of all the people I know who got the rear wheel drive when they step in a dual motor or performance you can tell they have a little bit of regret when they feel how much more power it has Totally impractical, totally illogical, but it is what it is

[@TimHarper-n7g]

In my experience, having owned front, rear and all wheel drive on all types of cars, the biggest difference you can make to grip is tyre choice. My powerful, rear wheel drive saloon was a death trap in winter until I fitted winter tyres. Same with my large, all wheel drive SUV. And for Pete's sake, don't get distracted by that silly bolt on display! Do you really need to know how much power is going to the front as you're negotiating a corner? As for the self steering. You'll realise that you should have had both hands firmly gripping the wheel when an animal darts out in front of you! (Ask me how I know!) Great work though Ian. Your videos are superbly put together and very informative. Looking forward to your continued adventures in Sparky!

[@filipnevezi]

@@TimHarper-n7g How do you know? 😉

[@Dehapro]

All other reviewers said the same thing to get the RWD for most people and this video explains why. It's the same car most of the time

[@jonashley7264]

Apart from the appalling downgraded audio system. Real shame they have done this as it's vastly inferior to the great system in dual motor. Can just about get away with it in the 3 but in the large Y cabin it's not good at all. I cancelled the RWD after finding out. Just in process of deciding whether the dual motor is worth the extra money...

[@tomhayden9672]

I think if you were to drive rather more 'spiritedly' through corners you'd see the front motor doing more at moderate power to keep understeer in check.

[@grahamleiper1538]

It prioritises the most economic (permanent magnet) motor. Think the last RHD "Raven" S and X with the permanent magnet front motor are front wheel drive most of the time.

[@MasterFX2000]

I'm pretty happy with my 2024 M3 RWD SR and the "low end" Soundsystem is pretty good (better than most high end Cars other than Tesla).

[@geoffsmith2658]

Interesting video, wondering how Off-Road Assist plays into the usage of the front motor.

[@zachlafond2652]

RWD has cheaper insurance here in the US..at least when i got quotes. The AWD was quite a bit more for some reason.

[@peteroffpist1621]

Only thing interesting for me is charging speed at SuC and price. LFP from BYD is the choice I went for RWD.

[@hqsound5582]

Better performance & traction only. Great for towing.

[@thetourk]

Interesting video, and such a wonderful area to drive around. I've just a a skoda 85x all wheel drive. Similar setup to yours . I went for the 85x because as standard it's came with all round better specs. I have it set to normal drive I have noticed the front drive kicking in a few times. One of the most useful additions is the paddle regeneration. Tesla are no dought ( atthe moment) world leaders in ev's with the best software. They aren't the best for comfort or customer service. This is why I went for the £50,000 skoda

[@justgetatesla]

I thought I would miss adjustable regen having had Mitsubishi and Hyundai systems previously. I don’t. Once you adapt to one pedal driving it becomes intuitive

[@thetourk]

@justgetatesla I've got the option for one foot driving, maybe I'm not used to the idea, as it is I lift my foot off and let the car coast, use the paddles to slow me down. Give my foot a stretch I know the car do it all for me, including the steering, there again it's what I used to. Must be getting old. Before I got the skoda I had a Toyota rav 4 great car very economical though at 4 years old was rather outdated with a woeful sat nav.

[@PlugSocket98]

RWD for me Ian 😊 I ordered the model 3 LR RWD the model Y was much more expensive and to be frank I don't need an AWD car so model 3 for me it is and I'm happy 😁

[@vxnova1]

@@PlugSocket98 good choice, more range and they are fast enough without awd, I got the LRY mostly because I live in northern USA, but think i would have been ok with the red model as well,

[@vxnova1]

I have the awd lr y pretty happy with it, but I think the rwd model would have been fine too, cheaper, better range and fast enough,

[@clevern3rd102]

In the US, outside of the speed difference, there's also a difference in audio system. Worth the upgrade if you're an audiophile.

[@justgetatesla]

Yes, I hear that the “custom” audio system isn’t great. Why didn’t the US get the upgrade to the premium system like everyone else?

[@clevern3rd102]

@justgetatesla we do. The AWD and Performance has the premium audio with the 14 speakers, 2 amps and a subwoofer. The RWD has the base level audio.

[@justgetatesla]

That’s my point. The RWD anywhere else on the planet gets premium audio

[@gamer250191]

If you have a model 3 performance and you would put it in track mode you can choose the power ratio for front en rear. I asume the front motor is weaker then the back, so if I would put more power to the front instead of the back. The car would drive more energy efficient? Cous still les HP is less energy needed for normal consumption

[@markread2976]

Another great and insightful video Ian. I'm in Melbourne Australia and have a 2023 MY RWD. Doesn't snow here and our winters are much milder than North America or North Scotland etc. About the eorst ee get is icy roads in winter. I'm also interested in how you record/sync the phone screen in with the video - maybe an idea for a future video re what cameras/mics you use plus video editing software etc.

[@mikedoingmikethings702]

Snow, ice, mud, hill or downhill is where AWD shines… A good driver doesn’t need AWD MOST of the time, to a point. Just because you have AWD, it doesn’t mean you will not go off the road or won’t get stuck in mud or snow… experience and know how is key, AWD is additional assurance…

[@larrysmith8426]

If you live in Canada OR northern USA states all wheel in a necessity.

[@Thebrackz]

Tesla has just released a power upgrade for the 2024 Model 3 LR dual motor to go 0 to 100 Km/h in 3.8 seconds. And I'm sure it is utilizing the front motor more to achieve this increase in performance.

[@cluelessindividual8643]

Would've like to see some quick roundabout footage

[@justgetatesla]

Not on this drive (no roundabouts). But I am going to keep testing this as the winter goes on. More videos to come!

[@ivanandreevich8568]

Yeah easily worth it for the acceleration and being able to accelerate normally on wet roads.

[@dorsetandy3873]

Another interesting an informative video - thanks Ian. The RWD LR MY does give a useful increase in range, presumably due to better efficiency, which might be a consideration? Just sold my 2022 M3 RWD and waiting delivery of a new M3 RWD long range - 430+ miles of range, couldn’t justify the extra £5k for AWD but it rarely snows here in Dorset.

[@timoliver8940]

My weekend toy diesel 2023 Defender 90 has a single motor but disengages the drive to the front wheels above 28 mph but if any wheel slip is detected on either axle it reverts to AWD/4WD quicker than you can blink or if I switch into low range then it stays 4WD - disappointingly my 2024 Mini Countryman S E Sport (the BEV one) with AWD doesn’t appear to disengage one or other of the axles and runs all the time running both electric motors. That maybe something it inherits from being a BMW iX2 under its (not so mini) Mini clothes. The Defender is an MHEV and has very strong regen on a trailing throttle to the extent that I can one pedal drive it with ease!

[@anoone1812]

No surprises for me, for the amount of times that I could have made use of the AWD, I can count on 2 fingers in years. That was on my late 21 model 3 RWD, I suspect my week old model y will be the same.

[@4tune8chance65]

Interesting, not at all what I thought it would do. The front motor seems more like an acceleration assist rather than four wheel drive.

[@henrycruz45cal]

You can force it in track mode

[@justgetatesla]

If you have track mode

[@commuterbranchline8132]

Your winter tyre choice is more of determining factor than rwd or AWD. My local tyre shop is fitting a fresh set of Continental All season contact 2’s to a spare set of rims in preparation for the up coming cold spell.

[@markhealth3386]

maybe its different in UK. But in USA our Dual Motor Y is All Wheel all the time

[@justgetatesla]

Is it? We all get the same architecture wherever the car is built…

[@nosekbk]

There’s a “off-road assistant” in Dynamics settings which I think sets car to use both motors equally. Have you tried that?

[@justgetatesla]

Not over long distances

[@majkenr92]

You should do a video with that setting on as well, in my opinion it improves traction drastically in winter and engage the front motors a lot more, I feel like it's almost 50% distribution front and rear. In my opinion this is the winter mode Tesla won't give us. It also seems like it distributes the regenerative braking power more equally with "off road assist" on, this makes regen braking a lot more reliable in icy/snowy conditions since not only the rear drive units will apply braking.

[@justgetatesla]

I could, but my car notes that using it removes features like auto emergency braking and lane departure avoidance

[@nosekbk]

@@justgetatesla Short video on any road would be enough to show how is the power distributed between the motors when off-road assist is enabled :)

[@rhencullen]

I wonder if the times when the rear motor was under power and the front showing regen (your motos split) is actually more down to the app not updating all UI elements instantly under all circumstances. The car is reacting to it’s control signals pretty much instantly, and the ODB port is presumably picking up the motor signals pretty much instantly, but then that’s relaying the data changes to the app using Bluetooth LE, and the phone’s app then has to decode and refresh the UI, so maybe it’s the BLE transmission and phone app not always refreshing as quickly as the car’s systems are.

[@johnr1066]

I wonder why you don't get more regen from the front motor?

[@Martinko_Pcik]

Perhaps the point of front motor is the stability control this test didn't explore.

[@ralstm1]

A note from New England, USA. Nice video. Thanks. I appreciate having AWD on my model Y, but I have never had the opportunity to try RWD in a Tesla. I am also a user of the Teslogic system, and I think it adds a lot to the user experience, including a true blind-spot warning that is in my view, when changing lanes or making a turn on a multilane road. My question is: Do you trust the "Battery Health" aspect of Teslogic? The degradation value shown on the Teslogic device suggests more battery degradation than I would expect for a 3-year old EV that was not abused. I realize that this was not your topic, but would appreciate you thoughts on this

[@justgetatesla]

I believe the box is essentially passive - a receiver of information. That doesn’t mean that its software isn’t capable of interpreting that data incorrectly…

[@rhencullen]

Can you add the performance boost to the RWD or is that an AWD only option ?

[@ChrisBarnes199]

I go cross country skiing, snow shoeing and have some 6000ft passes to drive over in the winter. So AWD for me.

[@davidbricknell6498]

How does 4WD change in Chill Mode?