Do Electric Cars Have Transmissions?

When you get behind the wheel of a new electric vehicle, you’ll find that its driving experience is different from vehicles with an internal combustion engine. Not only can electric vehicles provide a quieter driving experience in Westport but they also offer near-instantaneous torque delivery.

One of the reasons why it feels different to drive an EV in Norwalk, besides the electric motors, is the transmission. So, do electric cars have transmissions? Yes, an electric car does have a transmission but they don’t work in the conventional way that a transmission would work in a regular vehicle. Learn all about the gears on electric cars and EV transmissions today with the service experts from Mercedes-Benz of Fairfield!

Do Electric Cars Have Transmissions? – Gears on Electric Cars

Although we’ve answered the question, “Do electric cars have transmissions?” how many gears are on electric cars? Electric car transmissions are different from the transmissions in a regular vehicle because of the amount of torque that electric motors can produce.

Electric motors in EVs can deliver peak power nearly instantaneously and as a result, most EVs have a single-speed transmission since there’s no need to shift gears to make peak power. Here’s how the powertrain works in an EV:

1. As you press the accelerator pedal on your Weston adventures, power is sent from the battery to the electric motor.
2. As the motor spins, the transmission spins and sends power to your wheels.
3. In regular vehicles, the internal combustion engine can rotate up to around 7,000 rpm but in an EV, the electric motors can rotate up to around 20,000 rpm. That level of rotation means the transmission needs to be able to deliver peak power at any point in time, hence the need for a single-speed transmission.
4. In most EVs, the electric motor spins backward when you’re in reverse. This is unlike a regular vehicle which has a separate gear for reverse.

Electric Car Transmission Maintenance

Do you still need to maintain an EV transmission? The cost of maintenance for an EV is typically lower since you don’t have to worry about oil changes but you may still need to maintain your EV’s transmission. The service intervals for an electric vehicle transmission can vary so we suggest you reference your owner’s manual or speak to our experts for more information.

Experience an Electric Car Transmission with Mercedes-Benz of Fairfield!

If you haven’t driven an electric vehicle yet on the Fairfield roads, our team is here to assist. Get in touch with our experts today to find out how you can experience an EV for yourself!