Bosch makes transmissions. They&#x27;re getting worried.<p>Formula-E cars are required to use a specific McLauren motor.[1] The need for a gearbox may reflect its limitations.  Formula-E rules also limit input current, so using huge amounts of electrical power for a few seconds of acceleration isn&#x27;t permitted.  In other words, they don&#x27;t allow Tesla&#x27;s &quot;launch mode&quot;.<p>Early Tesla models had a two-speed gearbox. That was a disaster. The shock of changing gears over such a wide range wore out the gearboxes rapidly.<p>Electric locomotives have been transmissionless since the first GE locos. &quot;You cannot strip the gears of a magnetic field&quot;, one of the early GE designers wrote.  Some things just work better electrically.  For a sense of this, here&#x27;s part of the restoration of the biggest steam locomotive ever built, the Big Boy.[1]  It sat at the Ponoma fairgrounds for half a century, and was then towed out and sent to the Union Pacific shops for a full restoration.  It&#x27;s being towed out by a standard sized modern AC Diesel-electric locomotive, which has more drawbar pull than the Big Boy.  What&#x27;s impressive is the precise control.  The initial move is about one foot per minute, because they&#x27;re pulling the old steam giant through a tight curve of temporary track.  The Diesel-electric doing the pull has synchronous AC motors and solid state controls, and can apply huge torques smoothly at low speeds with no wheel slip.  All the wheels are locked together by active control. You don&#x27;t need a transmission to get low-end torque from an electric.<p>[1] <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.mclaren.com&#x2F;appliedtechnologies&#x2F;products&#x2F;item&#x2F;e-motor-120kw-130nm&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.mclaren.com&#x2F;appliedtechnologies&#x2F;products&#x2F;item&#x2F;e-m...</a>
[2] <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.youtube.com&#x2F;watch?v=-Ji2aGJJAx8" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.youtube.com&#x2F;watch?v=-Ji2aGJJAx8</a>