As AGVs become more widely used in intralogistics, manufacturing, warehousing and heavy-load material handling, selecting the right drive system is becoming increasingly important. Differential drive, steer drive and Mecanum drive each have different requirements for wheel structure, load distribution, traction, steering and motion control. These differences directly affect AGV positioning accuracy, turning performance, wheel wear and long-term reliability. In this article, we compare the three common AGV drive systems and explain how to select the appropriate AGV hub motor and wheel configuration according to the vehicle structure, operating conditions, load and required mobility.

A differential steering drive wheel is a two-wheel drive system in which each wheel is equipped with an independent actuator, such as a DC motor. The name originates from the fact that the vehicle's motion vector is the result of the combined movements of the two independently driven wheels. By controlling the two drive motors to rotate in opposite directions or at different speeds, the motor torque is transmitted through a gearbox and polyurethane-coated wheels, causing the two wheels within the differential drive unit to rotate oppositely or at different speeds. This generates the required steering angle and enables vehicle maneuvering.