Two-speed gearbox for electric motorcycles aims to boost acceleration and efficiency
A British company's prototype seamless-shift transmission could let e-motos keep the instant torque while adding a gear for highway cruising.
Electric motorcycles typically rely on a single-speed transmission, which keeps things simple and low-maintenance but forces a compromise between low-speed acceleration and high-speed efficiency. A new two-speed seamless powershift system from British engineering firm E-Motiv Shift Systems aims to give riders both without interrupting power delivery.
Shown at EICMA 2026, the transmission is based on technology originally developed by Zeroshift for combustion engines nearly 25 years ago. That system later appeared in MotoGP through Aprilia Racing in 2015, and E-Motiv says it has since been linked to more than 30 podium finishes, including Aprilia's 1-2-3 result at the 2026 British Grand Prix.
Instead of a conventional clutch and gear-shifting mechanism, E-Motiv's design uses dog-engagement rings that allow the second gear to take over before the first completely disengages. This eliminates the brief torque interruption typical of gear changes. The company says the tech can be tuned for different riding styles, from smooth transitions on touring bikes to sharper shifts on performance machines.
The project received a £1-million (about $1.34 million) grant from the UK government's Innovate UK Design and Build initiative, with collaboration from BSA, the University of Bath, and the Institute of Advanced Automotive Propulsion Systems. At EICMA, a prototype called Demo 1, designed by Envisage and currently being built by IAAPS, was on display.
Source: New Atlas