Rivian sells both 2-motor and 4-motor versions of their trucks.

I think the Saabs that you’re talking about were motor-in-wheel technology which is a very different thing: it is great for efficiency and packaging, but all the unsprung weight is a challenge.

The one scenario I can think of where a center-differential/transfer-case would fare better is with lockers in an off-road situation.

But you can also put a locking diff or LSD on a 2-motor electric drive, with a virtual “transfer case” handling the F/R split electronically and many times per second. Or you can go even further like Rivian with their 4-motor electric drive and let each wheel be directly and independently controlled which is far superior to an old locked diff and transfer case.

Even if we just look at other hybrid EVs that had a generator, without doing the math, it seems perfectly reasonable.

The little carbon-fiber BMW I3 REX had a 2-cyl generator that was totally insufficient for running the electric driveline once the battery was depleted. I have heard that this was by design because German tax on it would have been higher if it got more ICE range than EV range.

The Chevy Volt was a step up in size and weight from the I3 but still an efficient shape and needed a 4-cyl generator to fully power the electric driveline once the battery was depleted. I think most people don’t realize the Volt had a completely different hybrid configuration than all the other hybrids and was a really innovative car. But it had a stupid small back seat smaller than a Prius’ so that really limited sales, IMO.

So of course the much, much larger, heavier, brick-shaped Ram pickup is going to need more than a 4-cyl to move it with reasonable performance once the battery is depleted.