• VW sees no need for multi-speed transmissions in EVs
• It tested a manual transmission for performance EVs
  
• More efficient EVs might be more expensive, VW says

It seems Volkswagen won’t be following Porsche or Mercedes-Benz.

On Thursday at the 2024 Los Angeles auto show Kai Grünitz, head of global research and development for Volkswagen, told Green Car Reports that the automaker doesn’t see a need for 2-speed transmissions in EVs.

Grünitz said that “today there is no plan to produce it,” but the executive quickly noted that’s “because there’s no demand from the customer side,” for multi-speed transmissions in EVs.

Grünitz then said that “there’s no reason to invest in that” if there’s no demand from customers.

“To be honest, when you look for example to ID.7, it’s one of the most efficient cars,” Stefan Voswinkel, head of product communications for VW, added.

“We are best in class in that segment,” Grünitz said, referring to the VW ID.7, which has been delayed indefinitely for the U.S. and, like other EVs using VW’s MEB architecture for EVs, uses a single-speed reduction gear. 

Grünitz noted there are other possibilities to reduce or to increase efficiencies outside of multi-speed transmissions, and it’s “most important coming from the engine side,” he said.

“There are a lot of little screws you can use to improve efficiency without going to the transmission,” Grünitz said.

This is all despite the fact that Grünitz admitted Volkswagen’s created a manual transmission for EVs, and that he’s tested it—and didn’t like it. While that unit would have been for an enthusiast vehicle like an electric GTI, the executive said he likes the smoothness of EVs that comes with a single-speed transmission.

The upcoming 2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class, the first vehicle from the automaker to arrive on the next-generation MMA platform, will use a 2-speed transmission. Mercedes executives noted that efficiency is the new currency. “Hopefully it will become a new currency,” said Grünitz. “I think it’s not today.”

Grünitz said no one is really talking about efficiency. When pressed on the topic because Lucid, among other automakers, is quite vocal about the topic, Grünitz noted it’s not being discussed at the consumer level, and asked: “Why don’t we see these discussions at our customers?”

Grünitz noted before his handlers pulled him away that making vehicles even more efficient would make vehicles more expensive.