Magna's drop-in, off-road electric powertrain

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 differential. It's a powerful electric motor fully integrated into each front and rear axle for full 4x4 traction. And Magna said the system will “very likely” be seen on a production vehicle within a few years.

At its 2023 tech day presentation, held at a Michigan offroad park and Magna International HQ in Troy, Mich., SAE Media had the opportunity to drive prototype vehicles offroad and sample Magna's in-cabin safety features.