On Thursday, 20 April 2017 07:20:39 UTC+1, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
On 19/04/17 23:03, NY wrote:
"DerbyBorn" wrote in message
2.236...
Murmansk wrote in
:

I've just been for a ride in someone's Nissan Leaf - it was
impressive, so quiet and amazing acceleration.

Do electric cars have a gearbox (an automatic one I presume)? Or does
the motor just run faster the faster you go? I was told by the owner
the optimum speed for economy of battery usage is about 55mph.

It doesn't sound like it's changing gear.


No gearbox or clutch.

Mainly because an electric motor, when correctly driven, can generate
torque from zero speed and don't have such severe upper limits to the
speed because there are no reciprocating parts which have to rapidly
reverse direction.

The severe upper limit is ion fact the driving voltage, When the motor
back EMF hit's that, it wont go faster.

Drivel. The motors are three phase synchronous motors with rare earth magnets, not milk float motors.