Design and development of a compact powertrain system for all-terrain vehicles

Article Sidebar

PDF
Published: Oct 21, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.69598/sehs.20.26040006
Keywords:
all-terrain vehicles, ATV, compact, powertrain, dynamics, driveshaft

Main Article Content

Hari Prasad
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Mangalore Institute of Technology Engineering, Karnataka, India
Sampat Kumar Pandurang Naik
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Mangalore Institute of Technology Engineering, Karnataka, India
P. Ashwin
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Mangalore Institute of Technology Engineering, Karnataka, India
Neelakantha V. Londe
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Mangalore Institute of Technology Engineering, Karnataka, India. Corresponding author's e-mail: neelakantha@mite.ac.in
Mohan Kumar
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Mangalore Institute of Technology Engineering, Karnataka, India
Santhosh Acharya
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Mangalore Institute of Technology Engineering, Karnataka, India

Abstract

All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are designed to navigate rough terrains, demanding robust and efficient powertrain systems. ATVs are used predominantly for recreational purposes and even in racing events.  ATVs are popular for their rugged, compact, but lightweight structure. The powertrain system in an electric ATV is the heart of the vehicle. It is also responsible for providing power output, vehicle dynamics, maximum speed, and acceleration. The powertrain system, which is pivotal for performance, faces several challenges such as weight, dynamics, inertia, and heat management. These issues impact durability and efficiency of the powertrain system and the ATV. The present research attempted to address these issues with a compact and efficient powertrain in electric vehicles (EVs). Featuring a permanent magnet synchronous motor, motor controller, driveshaft, and optimized gearbox, the system aims to maximize power output while ensuring structural integrity through rigorous mechanical analysis. An EV-driven ATV was successfully designed, developed, tested and validated in competitive events like SAE BAJA2023 and MEGA ATV2023. Overall, the system demonstrates enhanced performance and reliability.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Article Details

How to Cite
Prasad, H., Kumar Pandurang Naik, S., Ashwin, P., Londe, N. V., Kumar, M., & Acharya, S. (2026). Design and development of a compact powertrain system for all-terrain vehicles. Science, Engineering and Health Studies, 20, 26040006. https://doi.org/10.69598/sehs.20.26040006
Issue
Volume 20, 2026
Section
Engineering
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

References

Budală, A., & Şoica, A. (2019). An experimental research on power losses into an automotive manual transmission. In N. Burnete & B. O. Varga (Eds.), Proceedings of the 4th International Congress of Automotive and Transport Engineering (AMMA 2018) (pp. 527–534). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-94409-8_61

Garniwa, I., Dipantara, B., Nugroho, M. V., Sudiarto, B., & Noorfatima, N. (2019). Analysis of the effect of the motor temperature to brushless direct current motor performance on KARLING electric vehicle. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1376, Article 012024. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1376/1/012024

Jain, R., & Ranjit, P. S. (2015). Design of a drivetrain for Sae Baja racing off-road vehicle. International Journal of Advanced Engineering, Management and Science, 1(4), 27–30.

Jazar, R. N. (2017). Vehicle dynamics: Theory and application (3rd ed.). Springer.

Kanase, V., Rane, D., Dongare, V., Shinde, R., & Tangade, A. (2017). Design and manufacturing of 2-stage speed reducer for a Baja all Terrain vehicle. International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology, 8(10), 42–52.

Karki, A., Phuyal, S., Tuladhar, D., Basnet, S., & Shrestha, B. P. (2020). Status of pure electric vehicle power train technology and future prospects. Applied System Innovation, 3(3), Article 35. https://doi.org/10.3390/asi3030035

Lungoci, C., & Stoia, D. (2008). Temperature effects on torque production and efficiency of motor with NdFeB. Revue Roumaine des Sciences Techniques—Serie Électrotechnique et Énergétique, 53(4), 445–454.

Mohanraj, D., Gopalakrishnan, J., Chokkalingam, B., & Mihet-Popa, L. (2022). Critical aspects of electric motor drive controllers and mitigation of torque ripple—Review. IEEE Access, 10, 73635–73674. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2022.3187515

Schaltz, E. (2011). Electrical vehicle design and modeling. In S. Soylu (Ed.), Electric vehicles: Modelling and simulations (pp. 1–24). IntechOpen.

Shastri, D., Ramamurthy, S., & Parab, P. (2008, January 9). Strategies for automobile gear material selection (Report No. 2008-28-0055). The Automotive Research Association of India. https://doi.org/10.4271/2008-28-0055

Wahl, A., Wellmann, C., Monissen, C., & Andert, J. (2023). Active temperature control of electric drivetrains for efficiency increase. Applied Energy, 338, Article 120887. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2023.120887

Walker, P., Zhu, B., & Zhang, N. (2017). Powertrain dynamics and control of a two speed dual clutch transmission for electric vehicles. Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing, 85, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ymssp.2016.07.043

Wang, W., & Liang, K. (2023). Performance analysis of integrated thermal management system for pure electric vehicle. Modeling and Simulation, 12(3), 3008–3023. https://doi.org/10.12677/MOS.2023.123277

Yuksel, T., & Michalek, J. J. (2015). Effects of regional temperature on electric vehicle efficiency, range, and emissions in the United States. Environmental Science & Technology, 49(6), 3974–3980. https://doi.org/10.1021/es505621s