Electric motorcycles are getting gearboxes - didn’t we get rid of those?

Electric motorcycles are incredibly good at making power, but not always particularly good at putting it to work across different riding conditions. Most get by with a single-speed transmission, relying on the broad torque delivery of an electric motor to do everything from pulling away at traffic lights to cruising at highway speeds. It's simple, it's efficient, and it works.All this helps with one big issue: maintenance. All thanks to the mechanical simplicity that a single-speed transmission brings to the table. Unlike conventional multi-gear setups, there's no clutch, no complicated gear-shifting mechanism, and fewer moving parts to wear out or require periodic attention. That doesn't just translate into lower maintenance requirements, but also fewer potential failure points and, generally, less money spent on a machine.And for the longest time, this has been one of the main selling points. But what if an electric motorcycle could have the punch of shorter gearing off the line and the legs of a taller ratio when the road opens up, without sacrificing the uninterrupted shove that makes e-motos so addictive?That's precisely the problem British engineering outfit E-Motiv Shift Systems is looking to solve with its new two-speed seamless powershift transmission. On show at EICMA 2026, it’s one piece of technology which, if it delivers on its promise, could give electric motorcycles actual gears, without the usual interruption in power delivery. The Demo 1 prototype is currently being built by IAAPSE-Motiv The system builds on technology originally developed by Zeroshift for combustion-powered applications almost 25 years ago, which eventually found its way into MotoGP in 2015 through Aprilia Racing. According to E-Motiv, the technology has since been associated with more than 30 podium finishes, including Aprilia's historic 1-2-3 result at the 2026 British Grand Prix.What makes E-Motiv's approach particularly interesting is how it handles gear changes. The underlying Zeroshift principle uses specially designed dog-engagement rings that allow the second gear to take over before the first completely disengages. In other words, the next ratio is already engaged and ready to assume the load, eliminating the small delay in torque delivery we typically find on conventional gear changes.E-Motiv says the technology also gives motorcycle manufacturers considerable flexibility in tailoring the transmission to suit different machines and riding styles. That means the same tech can theoretically be integrated in different motorcycles, with shifting characteristics being able to be adjusted to deliver a feel based on the kind of bike it is. Whether that's smoother transitions for touring motorcycles or sharper, more aggressive responses for performance-focused machines. The chart plots torque and speed against time during a ratio change, with a torque-interrupted shift on the left and a powershift on the rightE-Motiv But the appeal of adding another gear isn't simply about giving electric motorcycles a more familiar, ICE-like riding experience. It could also help engineers get more out of the electric motor itself. With two ratios to work with, the motor can be kept closer to its optimum operating range, offering the best of both worlds: stronger acceleration at lower speeds and more relaxed, potentially more efficient running when cruising at higher speeds.And it’s not just some voodoo concept at this stage. It’s got the backing of a £1-million (approximately US$1.34 million) grant through the UK government's Innovate UK Design and Build initiative. E-Motiv collaborated with BSA, the University of Bath and the Institute of Advanced Automotive Propulsion Systems (IAAPS) on the project.At this year’s EICMA, a prototype motorcycle was on show, called the Demo 1, which was conceived by British design consultancy Envisage and is currently being built by IAAPS. A handsome motorcycle in my humble opinion, too. Aside from the tech, can I have that bike, please?E-Motiv And while motorcycles are the immediate focus, I can't help wondering whether there's a bigger opportunity here. Electric cars face the same fundamental compromise between getting off the line quickly and maintaining efficiency at highway speeds.A properly executed multi-speed setup could potentially help address that, particularly in Western countries where long-distance highway driving is a much bigger part of everyday motoring. If E-Motiv can make seamless shifting work reliably in a motorcycle, perhaps four-wheeled electric vehicles could be the next frontier.Source: E-Motiv