I know electric cars don’t need multiple gears, but wouldn’t they benefit from them in anyway at high speed for example?

Question

I know electric cars don’t need multiple gears, but wouldn’t they benefit from them in anyway at high speed for example?

In: Technology

Answer 1

1) There are electric axle with two (or more) gears, it’s basically a tradeoff between cost, efficiency and performance. For normal passenger vehicles the added cost and complexity of a gearbox is just not worth the benefit (efficiency and performance wise).

2) e-motor/inverter development improved significantly over the last years (higher rotational speeds, higher voltages, higher efficiency, better cooling, …), which makes the need for additional gearboxes even less relevant.

For more commercial and special vehicles, cost of a gearbox becomes more justifiable pending the amount of usage in certain regions and need of torque … .