In the last decades, the automotive industry developed towards battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and this trend is expected to grow. Hence, it is necessary to focus on the EV powertrain for an efficient transmission of the power stored in the battery pack to the wheels of the vehicle. This thesis is organised in two parts. In the first one, an overall description of the EV powertrain, its main components, benefits and challenges is presented with specific details on the transmission’s state-of-the-art. Indeed, the researches’ attention is currently drawn by the possible introduction of a multi-speed gearbox in electric vehicles to enhance the economic and dynamic performances.