Why do cars need torque

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Torque is present in everyday happenings, such as operating a doorknob, opening a soda bottle, using a wrench, or pedaling a bicycle. This applies torque, or a twisting force, to the bolt. While horsepower is simply measured in horsepower, torque is typically measured in pounds feet lb. Applying one pound of force to the end of that one-foot long wrench exerts one lb.

More torque can be applied by adding more weight, or, by using a longer wrench. The lug nuts that attach the wheels to your car typically need to be tightened to about lb. All engines, whether gasoline or hybrid, generate a certain amount of both horsepower and torque. The two are related to one another, and both express engine output in different ways. Both horsepower and torque are measured to give shoppers a sense of the performance they might expect from their vehicle.

Horsepower is found by measuring torque because torque is easier to calculate. Torque, as previously mentioned, is the expression of a twisting force and is measured in units of force times distance from the axis of rotation.

So for instance, if you use a 1-foot-long wrench to exert a force of 10 pounds on the end of a bolt, then you are applying a torque of 10 pound-feet 10 lb-ft. For the third year in a row, a RAM truck has won the award for MotorTrend Truck of the Year, letting the world know—as well as its competition—that they know a thing or 2 when it comes to game-changing performance from a truck.

Find out more. For instance, the greater the horsepower an engine produces, the higher the torque potential. This explains why a race car and a tractor that have the same amount of horsepower can vary so drastically. In a race car, all the torque is used for speed through the gearing, whereas the tractor converts the horsepower into pushing and pulling extremely heavy weights.

Another way to understand horsepower vs. When you are using all your strength to open the jar, you are applying torque—regardless of whether or not the cap comes off.

Horsepower, however, only exists with movement. The engine speed then drops, and the game starts all over again. Contrary to popular belief i. Which brings us to the electric car engine. They provide full torque from the word go.

With no delay whatsoever. Not only that, but jolt-free and without gear changes, as many electric cars come with a single-speed automatic transmission.

In other words, maximum torque is actually reached at a low rpm in an electric motor. From there, the torque drops and the engine power remains constant. As soon as the point of maximum torque is reached, the vehicle no longer accelerates faster. It all comes down to what you as a driver need. Torque is a physical quantity that indicates the traction in an engine design. The physical unit for torque is the newton-meter Nm. For cars with an internal combustion engine, the aim is to achieve a high torque as early as possible at low engine speeds.

We use cookies to optimise and continuously improve our website for individual users like you. You can change your settings here at any time. BMW in your country. Yet when it comes to torque, even hard-core motor fanatics can have a hard time explaining it. Its importance when driving a car is much more than many people think. So, what is torque? And what effect does it have on cars? Read on for the answers.

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