I don’t know the real prices of the electric motors used in electric cars but going off by eBay listings, they seem like they are the same price as transmissions.
But a transmission isn’t the only part needed for AWD/4WD. You also need a transfer case, drive shafts and differentials.
But ultimately, most likely the main reason for using a second electric motor instead is reliability. Less moving parts mean less failure points, so less chances of a breakdown. Thus, increasing reliability and decreasing maintenance costs.
I don’t know the real prices of the electric motors used in electric cars but going off by eBay listings, they seem like they are the same price as transmissions.
But a transmission isn’t the only part needed for AWD/4WD. You also need a transfer case, drive shafts and differentials.
But ultimately, most likely the main reason for using a second electric motor instead is reliability. Less moving parts mean less failure points, so less chances of a breakdown. Thus, increasing reliability and decreasing maintenance costs.