Engine power, top speed, and acceleration from 0 to 60 mph (0 to 100 km/h) are some important automotive metrics that even children are aware of. But even some die-hard motor enthusiasts, however, may find it difficult to understand torque. Everyday activities like turning a doorknob, opening a drink bottle, using a tool, or riding a bicycle all involve torque. It’s torque that’s getting the job done. So let’s dive into the science of torque and see why it’s even important.
Let’s say you want to use a wrench to remove a nut from a bolt. To loosen the nut, place the wrench on it and exert a specific amount of force. Torque is the term used to describe the force produced there. Torque is a twisting force.
Calculating torque involves multiplying the force applied to the wrench by its length. More torque can therefore be obtained by employing a longer wrench. When you use a wrench that is one foot long and exert two pounds of force, for example, you are exerting two pounds of torque (lb-ft) on the nut. With the 10-foot wrench, however, you may deliver 20 lb-ft of torque to the nut by applying the same amount of pressure.
How torque works in cars
Mainstream cars and trucks usually have engines that produce between 100 and 400 lb-ft of torque, which is produced by the pistons in the engine as they reciprocate up and down on the crankshaft, causing the engine to rotate (or twist) continuously. The torque output depends on a number of factors, such as the engine’s size and design. In other words, the more torque an engine has, the better suited it is to hard work like towing, hauling, or climbing steep grades.
For this reason, torque is frequently the most significant variable when moving something large and heavy, like a truck with a trailer attached.
Torque in different enginesÂ
In a diesel engine
Because they compress more air, diesel engines typically generate more torque than gasoline engines. A diesel engine relies only on the air’s heat instead of requiring a spark plug to ignite the gasoline. What is the connection between torque and this, then? The efficiency of an engine that is directly related to torque increases with higher compression ratios. This indicates that the diesel engine’s higher compression ratios result in greater torque.
In a fuel engine
The fuel in a gasoline engine is ignited by a spark plug. A considerable amount of piston movement occurs inside a cylinder prior to full ignition. The fuel is just starting to ignite, meaning that the piston has already descended from the top. Because of this, the gasoline engine runs more slowly, which reduces torque.
 In an electric vehicle
An electric motor powers an electric car. An electric motor can reach its maximum torque instantly, but an internal combustion engine requires several gears to reach its maximum speed. To efficiently transfer the motor’s power to the wheel, the electric car also features a reduction, which functions as a sort of gearbox. Given the motor’s very high torque, a reduction is required to bring the rpm down to a suitable level based on the driving circumstances. Consequently, electric cars may generate more torque by conserving energy from lower rpm.
 In a hybrid engine
There are two types of hybrid engines. A diesel engine and electric motors or gasoline engines and electric motors. A motor in a gasoline hybrid can produce a high torque at lower speeds, comparable to that of an EV. This provides the same advantages in terms of rapid torque, leading to improved performance and higher fuel efficiency. On the other hand, because the diesel engine itself generates a lot of torque, it is challenging to optimize a motor’s capabilities in a diesel hybrid.
Horsepower vs. torque
All engines produce a set quantity of horsepower and torque, regardless of whether they are hybrid or gasoline-powered. Engine output is expressed differently by the two, yet they are connected. The horsepower of an engine is even determined by torque. The measurement of horsepower and torque gives buyers an idea of the performance they can anticipate from their car.
A car’s engine’s performance is referred to by two different terms: horsepower and torque. Horsepower is the engine’s total capacity under all circumstances, whereas torque output is the maximum output at a given time. The maximum listening volume of a stereo system, for instance, is comparable to an engine’s horsepower, which indicates its power. While bass contributes to the maximum volume of the listening experience, it is more likely to be judged by its highest “punch” level. Both horsepower and torque are significant qualities, though one may be more crucial for particular genres of music or automobiles than the other.
However, torque gives an easy measure of the highest twisting force that an engine can produce when it is working hard, whereas horsepower gives a measurement of the engine’s overall performance. For this reason, the engines in pickup trucks have higher torque than those in small cars.
