Recent McLaren patent filings track a three-engine powertrain for long-life supercars.
A patent application, published in January 2023 and first seen through The Drive, describes a rear axle drive unit consisting of a differential with 3 electric motors. A main engine is located at the front of the differential and two others are at the exits, where the semi-axles come out and fix the differential to the rear wheels. The housing of this mass of motors and gears would be aluminum or magnesium to save weight depending on the application.
McLaren three-engine powertrain patent symbol (as of application published in January 2023)
In the application, McLaren claims the three-engine formula would allow for more precise power delivery and regenerative braking by manipulating individual engines. It could also work with hydrogen fuel cells or supercapacitors and batteries, depending on the application. The same The drive unit can only be used on the front axle for all-wheel drive, or even on three-wheelers, McLaren claims.
However, this is not the first patent application filed through McLaren for this concept. Another application, published in November 2022, mainly points to a more complex formula that maintains an internal combustion engine. It includes an electric motor that drives the front wheel, a third electric motor rear-wheel drive with the combustion engine.
McLaren three-engine powertrain patent symbol (as of application published in November 2022)
That appears to be a way to leverage the existing McLaren Artura plug-in hybrid, which uses a unique electric motor to help a 2. 9-liter twin-turbo V6 power its rear wheels, and is also capable of reaching 19 miles of electric range. The addition of front engines would allow all-wheel drive, and the patent application is about disconnecting the rear engine and combustion engine, meaning they would also take care of all-electric operation.
McLaren Applied Technologies, a separate department of the McLaren Automotive unit that develops road cars, also recently announced a partnership with wheeled motor company Elaphe to integrate the latest generation in powertrains for “highly effective and hypersensitive electric vehicles. “of those concepts that don’t make it to production, McLaren is obviously keen to experiment with higher degrees of electrification.