Every vehicle has a transmission system to transfer the power from the engine/motor to the wheels. So the answer to ” Do electric cars have transmission? ” is yes. EVs have transmission systems, but we will explore them here in this example whether it’s a single-speed or multi-speed transmission.
But before that, we need to understand why we need vehicle transmission systems.
Why We Need Transmission In Vehicles?
A transmission system is required to transfer power from the engine to the wheels. A typical IC engine can rev up to 7000 RPM ( Rotations Per Minutes ). However, the power required on wheels may vary based on how the vehicle is moving.
For example, when you start a car from a standstill, you will need more power. However, when the vehicle starts rolling, the power requirement is reduced. That’s where the concept of a multi-speed transmission system comes into the picture.
In a multi-speed transmission system, the power output to wheels varies based on which gears are you in. If you need more power, low gears ( Lager diameter gears) engage and you get more power. However, for low power (at high speeds) smaller gears are engaged.
So basically, an IC engine can not give a constant torque at varying RPM levels and that is why we need multi-speed gear technology to get the required powers at the wheels. The gear ratios are carefully set to achieve this.
Do Electric Cars Have Transmission?
Yes, Electric cars also have transmission. But mostly it is a single-speed transmission. The reason is the electric motor which can give constant torque at a wide range of RPM levels.
Electric vehicle motors can go as high as 20000 RPM whereas an IC engine can go up to 7000-8000 RPM. Also, the torque in an electric motor is almost the same even if you drive it at 1000 RPM or 20000 RPM.
That is the reason EVs only need a single-speed transmission system just to transfer the power as it does not need to vary the speed to provide the required torque at the wheels.
Electric motors deliver power instantly, meaning, the process of building up torque through revving as in internal combustion engines is unnecessary.
Having said that, it is not impossible to add a multi-speed transmission system to EVs but for general consumers, it is not required. But the sports EV car has a multi-speed transmission system though.
Conclusion: Do Electric Cars Have Transmission?
Yes, they do. But only single-speed transmission as the electric motor can provide a constant torque output at a wide band of RPM level. Also, the RPM range is very high compared to any IC engine. It does not need to build up power by revving the engine. It gets a flat torque output at almost any RPM level.
