Stellantis is working on an advanced gearbox to make future electric off-roaders as capable as their ICE-powered counterparts. The patent was filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
First spotted by Mopar Insiders, this gearbox could provide electric SUVs and trucks like the Jeep Recon and Ram 1500 REV with greater drivability in challenging terrain. Whereas most electric vehicles rely on a single-speed transmission, the design Stellantis is working on has two gears. In an off-roader, this is handy. A low-speed gear would be well-suited to off-roading, where one tends to do lots of low-speed maneuvers that require a lot of torque.
A second road-biased gear would allow the vehicle to operate as a regular electric vehicle. This is similar to a transfer case commonly used in rugged off-roaders, SUVs, and trucks. Having two speeds to choose from means Stellantis wouldn’t have to compromise on the ratio of a single-speed gearbox, which could affect efficiency, range, and everyday performance.
