Do Electric Cars Have Transmissions?

The popularity of electric vehicles is growing rapidly around Norfolk. If you want to save on gas during your Virginia Beach commute, an EV is an excellent option! Did you know that another benefit of electric cars is that there are fewer moving parts, which means less maintenance? Sometimes the team at Rick Hendrick Chevrolet Norfolk gets asked, “Do electric cars have a transmission?” and “How do electric cars work?” Yes, electric cars have a transmission, but it’sdifferent from the transmission in regular vehicles. Learn more about electric car transmissions here, from the service team at Rick Hendrick Chevrolet Norfolk. 

How Many Gears Are on Electric Cars?

How do electric cars work? One benefit of electric cars is that their electric motor can produce near-instantaneous torque! Because of this, you don’t need to “rev” the engine to experience peak power on your Chesapeake drives. So, what about gears on an electric car? EVs have a single-speed transmission. This is how electric cars work:

1. When you press the accelerator, electricity travels from the battery to the electric motor.
2. As the motor spins, it spins the gearbox. The gearbox is essentially what most Suffolk drivers refer to when talking about the transmission in an EV.
3. As the electric motor and gearbox spin, the electric vehicle starts to move. Some electric motors rotate up to 20,000 rpm, while internal combustion engines on a car only rotate at about 7,000 rpm.
4. When you put your EV in reverse, the electric motor spins backward, unlike in a conventional car where there’s a different gear for reverse transmission.

Do You Have To Maintain Electric Car Transmissions?

Because electric vehicles do have transmissions, you still need to have them maintained. Some EVs have transmission fluid that must be replaced during recommended service intervals. But not all electric vehicles have transmission fluid, so we suggest you check your owner’s manual for specific recommendations on transmission maintenance. Still, with no combustion engine, you have no oil to worry about, thus avoiding the need for oil changes!

Test Drive an Electric Vehicle Today at Rick Hendrick Chevrolet Norfolk!

Now that you know more about electric car transmissions, if you want to experience the transmission in an EV, contact us at Rick Hendrick Chevrolet Norfolk. Let’s go for a test drive in a new Chevy Bolt, and soon you’ll know what all the excitement is about! You can use our easy online tools to estimate your payment and even get a quick estimate for your trade-in value.