When I’m out test-driving EVs for my job as a chassis and suspension supplier, I always end up geeking out over something most drivers never notice: the way these cars move down the road. Back when we were supplying gas-powered vehicle parts, we dealt with a lot of trade-offs, but EVs? They flip so many old ideas about chassis and suspension on their heads. Let’s break down what makes EV chassis and suspension unique, why that matters for us as suppliers, and what it means for drivers who actually get behind the wheel. Chassis and Suspension System
First, let’s talk about the battery pack. For gas cars, the engine, transmission, and fuel tank are all spread out—each taking up space and weight in different spots. In an EV, the big, heavy battery pack is usually mounted flat to the floor, right between the front and rear axles. That changes everything for us. On a gas car, the chassis is built around a big engine cradle, and it’s engineered to crumple in specific spots to protect the engine and passengers during a crash. On an EV, we have to design the chassis to crumple in areas that don’t hit the battery, but also to hold that battery super tight. If the battery gets damaged, that’s not just a repair—could mean a fire or a full replacement, which costs way more than any chassis part.
I remember a few years back, when a new EV model came to us for custom parts. The team’s first mistake was trying to use a chassis we’d built for a mid-size gas car. That didn’t fly. The battery added like 500 pounds to the total weight, and the chassis was bending in ways we never saw with gas cars. So we had to adjust the frame’s side rails, make them thicker in specific places, and add cross-members that run directly under the battery. It’s not just about strength, either—it’s about stiffness. That low battery weight lowers the center of gravity, which is great for handling, but the chassis has to be stiff enough to take advantage of that. If the chassis twists too much, the suspension can’t do its job right, and the car feels jittery over bumps.
Then there’s the suspension itself. Gas cars have engines and transmissions that vibrate a lot—even the quiet ones. So their suspension is tuned to absorb some of that vibration, keep things smooth. EVs? They’re way quieter. You barely hear the motor, the only sound is road noise. So our suspension has to cut way more road noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) than what we’re used to. That means bigger rubber bushings, better sealing around the suspension mounts, and even parts that isolate the wheels from the rest of the car way more than before.
Wait, another thing: EVs have way more torque, especially off the line. A lot of entry-level EVs put out 200+ lb-ft of torque right when you press the accelerator, no waiting for the engine to rev. Gas cars usually build torque gradually, so their suspension is tuned to handle that slow, steady pull. EVs? That instant torque makes the front or rear wheels try to spin, or “torque steer,” way more than gas cars. So our suspension has to fix that. Some EVs have dual motors, so torque is split between front and rear, but even single-motor EVs need stiffer control arms, better traction control that works with the suspension, and sometimes reinforced axles to keep that instant power from turning the car into a fishtail if you step on it too hard.
Also, EVs usually have different wheel sizes and tire setups. A lot of automakers put big, low-profile tires on EVs to improve aerodynamics, right? Low-profile tires have less sidewall, so they’re stiffer. That’s good for range because they cut down on rolling resistance, but they make bumps way more noticeable. So our suspension can’t be as soft as a gas car’s, because soft suspension with stiff tires would make every pothole feel like a jolt. We’ve been using adaptive dampers a lot more lately for EVs—dampers that adjust in milliseconds based on how hard you’re accelerating, how fast you’re going, and what the road surface is. On a gas car, adaptive dampers are a nice-to-have; on an EV, they’re almost a must, because you’re balancing that low, heavy battery weight, instant torque, and stiff tires all at once.
I want to be real here: when we started switching over to EV parts, we didn’t get it at first. We thought, “Suspension is suspension, right?” But no—every single part we make for EVs has to work with that battery weight, that instant torque, and that quiet ride. For example, our control arms used to be made for gas cars, which were designed to handle engine weight. Now, we make control arms for EVs that are longer in some spots, thicker in others, because the wheels need to move differently to deal with the low center of gravity. It’s not just a part swap; it’s a whole redesign.
Another unique thing about EV chassis: there’s less space under the hood. Because EVs usually have what’s called a “frunk” (front trunk) instead of a big engine, the front suspension has to fit in a much smaller engine bay. So we’ve had to make parts more compact without losing strength. That means using different materials, like high-strength aluminum alloys that are lighter but can handle more stress than the steel we used to use. Aluminum is also great for weight reduction, which helps with range—every pound we take off the chassis is a pound the battery doesn’t have to move, so better range.
Wait, let’s talk about regenerative braking too. That’s a big EV feature that ties into suspension. Regenerative braking uses the motor to slow the car down, instead of just the brake pads. So the brake forces are spread out differently than in a gas car, where the brakes do almost all the stopping. Our suspension has to handle those different braking forces. When you hit the brakes hard in an EV, the weight shifts forward more because of that big battery in the back or middle. So the front suspension has to be able to handle that extra weight shift without diving too much (diving is when the front end drops sharply when braking, which is uncomfortable) or making the car feel unstable. We’ve added anti-dive components to the front control arms for EVs, which is something gas cars didn’t need as much of because their braking forces were different.
As a supplier, this means we’re not just making parts—we’re partnering with automakers early on in the design process. A few years back, an automaker came to us with a prototype EV chassis, and we were able to adjust the suspension mounts before they even finalized the frame design. That saved them months of rework later, and it’s something we’ve gotten really good at. We can’t just supply off-the-shelf parts anymore; we have to work with each automaker’s specific EV platform, because no two EVs are built the same. Some have the battery more towards the rear, some in the middle, some front-wheel drive, some all-wheel drive. Each needs a slightly different chassis and suspension setup.
I also want to mention something that a lot of drivers don’t notice, but is huge: ride comfort. Because EVs are quieter, every little bump and rattle is way more noticeable. On a gas car, if there’s a loose suspension mount, you might hear it over the engine noise. In an EV, it’s loud as hell. So we have to make sure every single mount is sealed, every bushing is tight, every part is aligned perfectly. That’s been a big change for our quality control team. They used to listen for engine rumbles; now they listen for tiny squeaks or rattles that would ruin the EV’s reputation for smooth, quiet rides.
Let’s get to the practical stuff: how does all this actually feel when you drive an EV? If you’ve ever driven a Tesla, or a Ford Mustang Mach-E, or a Hyundai Ioniq 5, you’ve probably noticed how stable they feel around corners. That’s the low battery center of gravity working with a stiff chassis and tuned suspension. But if the suspension’s not right, it can feel too harsh over potholes, or too soft when you accelerate hard. Our job as a supplier is to get that balance right—stiff enough for handling, soft enough for comfort, durable enough to handle 100,000+ miles of EV use.
Now, I know a lot of people still have questions about EVs, and a lot of automakers are still figuring out how to build them. We’ve learned a lot of lessons the hard way. For example, one time, we supplied a set of suspension parts for an early compact EV, and the control arms were wearing out faster than expected. Why? Because the automaker had placed the battery in a spot that put extra stress on the front suspension during hard acceleration. We went back, redesigned the control arms with a better alloy, and adjusted the mounting points, and that fixed it. That’s the kind of thing you don’t learn from a textbook—you learn from working with real EV platforms, testing parts on actual roads, not just in a lab.
Another thing to note: EVs often have longer wheelbases than similar-sized gas cars. Because the battery takes up space between the axles, automakers have to stretch the wheelbase to fit it. A longer wheelbase makes for a smoother ride, because there’s more distance between the front and rear wheels, so they don’t hit bumps at the same time. But that also changes how the suspension is tuned—you don’t want a longer wheelbase to make the car feel sluggish, so we adjust the dampers and springs to keep it responsive.
I could go on and on, but let’s wrap this up. The unique features of an EV chassis and suspension aren’t just fancy tech—they’re driven by the battery, instant torque, quiet ride, and regenerative braking that make EVs different from gas cars. For us as a supplier, that means we’re constantly innovating, adjusting parts, and working closely with automakers to meet their specific needs. If you’re an automaker working on EV chassis and suspension projects, we’ve got the experience, the parts, and the know-how to help you build something that drives great, is durable, and keeps your customers happy. Feel free to reach out to our team to talk through your next project, no strings attached.
Control Arm Bushing References
- Electric Vehicle Chassis Design and Integration, Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) International, 2022
- NVH Optimization Strategies for Battery Electric Vehicles, Journal of Automotive Engineering, Vol. 29, No. 3, 2021
- Suspension Tuning for High-Torque Electric Vehicles, International Conference on Automotive Suspension Systems, 2023
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