Are There Gears on Electric Cars?

Skyrocketing gas prices have a lot of Vienna drivers looking at electric vehicles like the Volkswagen ID.4. But you probably have questions about how these vehicles work. For example, do electric vehicles have transmissions like conventional gasoline cars? Technically, electric cars do have transmissions, but an electric car transmission doesn’t work the way you might think. Let’s talk in more detail about what an electric car transmission is, as well as whether there are multiple gears on electric cars.

How Does an Electric Car Transmission Work?

The device on an electric vehicle that we refer to as an electric car transmission is technically a single-speed gear reduction unit. That’s because all of the gears in the gearbox are fused together and spin at the same time. Thus, there is no shifting between gears. That is likely different from what many Fairfax drivers think of when it comes to a transmission. What does an electric car transmission do, then? It transmits rotating power to the motor, which also happens to be one of the functions of transmissions in conventional vehicles.

So, are There Gears on Electric Cars?

Even though electric cars don’t need to shift, there are multiple gears on electric cars. The difference is that the gears in an electric car all spin simultaneously. This enables an electric car to operate safely through a wide range of RPMs, sometimes up to 20,000 RPMs. Conventional cars, on the other hand, will redline around 7,000. That’s why transmissions and gear shifting is so important for conventional cars. As the car accelerates from a stop, more torque is needed. As its speed levels out, less torque is needed. This causes a fluctuation in RPMs. If the engine operates at too many RPMs, it can overheat; too few RPMs, and it will stall. A transmission helps to regulate all of that.

Check Out the ID.4 at Stohlman Volkswagen of Tysons Corner

The Volkswagen ID.4 is an incredible electric vehicle, and it’s available right now. Why not come check it out in our showroom? And, if you’d like to learn more, check out our post on the benefits of electric vehicles. We’re conveniently located near Alexandria, so drop by or contact us today!