Stellantis’s new patent for a three-speed gearbox could bring off-road capability to its future electric vehicles. The patent describes how the gearbox could offer low-range, high-range, and direct-drive gearsets, the kinds of configurations you’d expect to find in a Jeep or a Ram.
In the filing, Stellantis says that the low-range gear would be optimal for trail driving, stump removal, or vehicle recovery. It says the high-range gear would be best for “road and desert driving.” Most EVs use a single-speed gearbox, but Stellantis points out these are often “unable to provide sustained high torque for trail and desert driving or various other speeds.”
Photo by: Jeep
All that sounds very promising, with the new gearbox potentially allowing future electric vehicles to operate more efficiently on a variety of surfaces, like snow or sand. Stellantis states that the gearbox can power the front axle, rear axle, or both, providing four or all-wheel drive capability.
The most obvious use for such a gearbox is in future Jeep or Ram products. While the march toward electrification has slowed since Stellantis applied for the patent in October 2023, the automaker still plans to introduce a variety of battery-electric vehicles that could benefit from this new technology.
The Jeep Recon will be the brand’s first all-electric off-roader. It’s similar in size to the Wrangler Unlimited, featuring a fully independent suspension. It’ll also have electronic locking differentials, which the new gearbox is capable of accommodating.
While most of today’s EVs feature direct-drive units, you will find two-speed gearboxes in the Porsche Taycan and Audi E-Tron GT. Stellantis has now upped the ante with a three-speed unit, which has us wondering when we’ll see four-, five, and six-speed EV gearboxes.
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