[ChasingCoral]

I keep reading conflicting descriptions. I even called the dealership. Was told PROBABLY awd. Probably isn’t a definite in my book. Anyone else wondering, or maybe knows for sure?
🤞🏻 4x4

It depends on your definition. It has two independent motors, one on each axle. Independent front and rear suspension. Computer controls power delivery to the wheels.

 

[ChasingCoral]

Watching Doug DeMuro’s extensive walkthrough of the Lightning

At 22 minutes in he reveals the touchscreen has access to electronic differential locking. So it sounds like the Lightning will have something resembling a true 4WD rather than just AWD like the Mach E.

 

[ChasingCoral]

And the Lightning has a specific off-road mode:

 

[ChasingCoral]

I couldn't find it specifically stated in the manual, but I assume the front PDU uses selective braking to control wheel slip. Rear is a locker. So at worst it's the same as my previous Z71 Silverados or I assume the FX4 F-150s.

It’s not just selective brake control on the front, it’s selective power delivery. Same on the rear unless the locker is engaged.

 

[ChasingCoral]

How is “selective power delivery” different than “selective brake control”? In ICE vehicles that claim to have selective power delivery with an open differential, they do so by selectively braking one wheel to send torque to the other wheel. I’m inclined to think the front operates the same way in the Lightning. If they had technology to accomplish it in a different way, you would think that they would have used the same tech on the rear rather than adding a locker.

First of all, you have two separate motors that can be powered differently. In an ICE 4X4, there is a single power source, so all you can do is change how that power is distributed and used at the four wheels. In a two-motor BEV, each motor can be powered at different rates.

 

[ChasingCoral]

Correct, the Lightning uses both motors to selectively deliver power to the front and rear. In your earlier comment, you said power distribution between the front wheels was not only done by selective brake control. I don’t see how that is possible with only one motor at the front and no locker or limited slip mechanism. I believe the dual motor with rear locker configuration in the Lightning is essentially three wheel drive, with selective ABS braking/ eLSD attempting to mitigate the open diff up front just as Shocker said.

How do you get three wheel drive? I’m intrigued.