Most electric motorcycles have one thing in common: they use a single-speed transmission system. However, a British company is preparing to break this convention at this year's EICMA Motorcycle Show in Milan. There, they will unveil a new electric motorcycle prototype equipped with an unusual two-speed transmission, with the goal of not interrupting power output during gear shifts.

The company behind this technology, E- Motiv Shift Systems, has developed a transmission system they call "Seamless Power Shift," which promises to provide better acceleration performance, higher efficiency, and a more engaging riding experience.

Unlike traditional motorcycle transmissions that require a brief interruption of power during shifting, the system of E-Motiv is designed to maintain a continuous torque output throughout the entire shifting process.

This could bring some interesting advantages to electric motorcycles: a lower first gear provides stronger acceleration, while a higher second gear helps to optimize motor efficiency at higher speeds.

Of course, most electric motorcycles actually do not require multiple gears, and there are very few models that truly offer multi-speed transmissions. Electric motors can produce strong torque over a wide range of operating conditions, which is also why manufacturers generally prefer single-speed transmission systems. These systems are simpler, lighter, and require less maintenance.

But this doesn't mean that the second gear won't bring some benefits.

The technology of E-Motiv can actually be traced back to the Zeroshift transmission system nearly 25 years ago, which was eventually applied to the MotoGP racing motorcycles of Aprilia ( Aprilia ) in 2015.

This verification vehicle, named Demo1, was conceived by the British design consultancy Envisage and manufactured by IAAPS. The road test program is scheduled to begin in early 2027.

E-Motiv will showcase this technology at EICMA from November 3rd to 8th. However, this verification vehicle is still in the development stage and not a mass-producible finished motorcycle yet.

Whether two-speed transmissions will become commonplace in electric motorcycles in the future remains to be seen. However, if E-Motiv can provide a tangible improvement in efficiency and performance without significantly increasing weight, cost, or complexity, then it could add an interesting new feature to future electric motorcycles.

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