Are Joint-Venture Brands Returning with Transmissions — And Will They Lead a New Trend in EV Development?

In recent years, automakers and parts suppliers have renewed interest in the feasibility of multi-speed gearboxes in EVs. That some high-performance EVs have begun adopting two-speed (or more) transmissions — for example, Porsche Taycan’s two-speed drive, Audi e-tron GT’s dual-speed layout, and Lotus Eletre’s attempts with transmissions in its top versions. In China, there have also been reports that this route is being used by joint-venture brands as a breakthrough to “return to the EV market via the gearbox.”