Electric drive does have several advantages.
Full torque can be applied at 0 rpm. Having this available when high torque is needed from a standing start helps a lot for a massive vehicle or when beginning on a steep grade. Trains began using oil-electric transmissions in the early 20th century and moved on to gasoline-electric then diesel-electric in a short time.
Quick acceleration is also possible. The Tesla Model S P100D goes from 0-60 in 2.275507139 sec. (Or so the stopwatch says.
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There is no clutch and no gears; maintenance on locomotives and ships tends to be much lower with this type drive.
Ships and locomotives, however, have no batteries. The engine is direct drive connected to a generator and the generator provides power to the electric wheel motors. This is very efficient for high mass vehicles like trains and ships.
Auto efficiency is a different matter. Batteries are required for all-electric and hybrid designs. Lithium is making a big difference while ultra-capacitors are still a futuristic pipe dream. I imagine almost everyone here understands the limitations of having a battery as part of the system. This vehicle is a hybrid. IDK, but my WAG is that weight limitations don't allow for high torque you would want when rock crawling nor the acceleration like the specialized Tesla has.
It seems like an interesting concept, but I lean toward the skeptical side until we see some test results.