DRIVE SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VEHICLE EMPLOYING MULTIPLE ELECTRONIC MOTORS

A drive system with one or more electrically driven axles, a transmission subsystem, which is drivingly coupled to a drive gearbox of each of the electrically driven axles, first and second motors, which are each drivingly coupled to the transmission subsystem and have different motor characteristics, and a controller. The drive gearbox of each axle transmits rotary power to an associated set of vehicle wheels. The controller controls the first and second motors responsive to at least a torque request. Over a significant portion of the operating range of the drive system, the controller is configured to vary the respective magnitudes of the rotary power provided by the first and second motors to satisfy the torque request in a manner that maximizes a combined efficiency of the motors in a predetermined manner.