If you have just bought yourself a new Tesla Model 3 or maybe just wondered how electric vehicles work then this is the page for you.
You probably already know that EVs or electric vehicles have at least one electric motor that propels them forward, instead of an internal combustion engine (gas-powered engine). But what about the rest of the vehicle drivetrain?
Does A Tesla Have A Transmission?
Yes, a Tesla has a simple one-speed transmission that helps take the power from the electric motor and rotate the wheels of the car. However, unlike traditional cars, Teslas do not need a gearbox with multiple gear ratios.
The transmission does have a transmission fluid or oil though, as anything like this with fast-moving parts does require it. However, you do not normally need to change or maintain this fluid.
The reason for this is that the electric motors that drive an electric car have high torque and power at almost all speeds. Compare that to internal combustion engines that have a sweet spot of power. This means that you always need to keep the engine in that sweet spot to get the best power or torque, which requires a different gear ratio, so multiple gears, depending on the speed you are driving.
Below you can see the power/torque curve of a traditional ICE engine with kW vs rpm (revs) which shows you why an automatic or manual transmission is necessary.
Compare that to the initial line of the power curve on a Model S.
