Traction and Launch Control: EV vs ICE

Traction control aims to prevent wheel slip by managing wheel speed. The initial approach involved using brakes to slow down a slipping wheel, leveraging the ABS unit to handle this task. However, braking alone has drawbacks, such as negative driver experience and potential wheel lock-up, which reduces traction control efficiency.
To address these issues, modern systems combine braking with reducing engine or motor torque. This combination provides smoother control and better traction, especially in low-traction environments. By cutting engine power, traction control can prevent the brakes from working against the engine, improving overall system performance.
Traction control's core involves three steps: detecting wheel slip, calculating necessary speed reduction, and physically reducing wheel speed. Detecting wheel slip involves complex calculations, considering factors like steering angle, wheel speeds, vehicle acceleration, and yaw acceleration. Accurate detection allows the system to determine if a wheel is slipping and by how much it needs to be slowed down.
One method to calculate the required power reduction is by determining the coefficient of friction between the tires and the road. This can be estimated using sensors in the steering rack, measuring the force needed to return the wheels to the center. By knowing all internal forces, the friction can be deduced, allowing the system to adjust engine power accordingly.
The text also explores the difference in power modulation capabilities between internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles and electric vehicles (EVs). Jason Camisa claims EVs can modulate power 1000 times per second, while ICE vehicles can only do so twice per second. This is slightly exaggerated, but EVs do have a significant advantage. For example, a Ford F150 Lightning can modulate power approximately 70 times per second, while a Ford F150 Raptor R can do so about 175 times per second. However, due to engine inertia, ICE vehicles experience lower effective modulation.
In conclusion, traction control systems benefit significantly from the rapid and precise power modulation capabilities of EVs, giving them a distinct advantage over ICE vehicles in maintaining traction. While Jason's claim about the modulation rates is slightly exaggerated, the fundamental point remains valid: EVs have a superior ability to manage traction control through frequent and varied power adjustments.

[@drive.science]

Minor correction to the video: the minimum number of power modulations in a 3-phase motor is 3. Most are much higher, as is the case with the Lightning, which is 30x per rotation, giving a final number of 700. But this is not the case for all 3-phase motors

[@meeskees702]

Why would the minimum number of modulations be 3 for a 3-phase motor? More often than not, motor controllers use switching frequencies over 100kHz. They could very well be adjusting the motor current “mid-phase”.

[@vile-jw6ed]

Straight to facts , but its too savvy for the average watcher , you deserve way more attention