Toyota to offer manual gearbox in next-generation electric cars

The point would be to fill a niche for people who like driving manual, but want to transition to electric.

Probably won't be very popular, but in this big world, there is a niche for everything.

I love a manual transmission on a car but this is really stupid.

Why? This makes no sense. Electric cars don't need a transmission, they are direct drive.

As a gearhead I get the sporting and nostalgia aspects. But as a member of the 21 century, I think we can all agree new automatic transmissions are way quicker than any human can be and it’s time to move on. Plus, and EV doesn’t need a transmission, fewer parts to fail is one of the best parts.

If you don't enjoy the sport of driving, you probably don't want a manual.

I'm interested in this. I feel like driving is a more connected experience with a manual and always prefer it. But that's what it is: a preference.

A lot of the features listed in the article (written by an AI?) sound corny. This is probably a thing for managers and executive level luxurybros, like the upper level EV market.

The idea of giving the driver more control like this in an EV so it's more fun is good though. They just feel so fkn heavy and like you're driving a computer.

Yeah, unless there is a performance benefit, it's just a potential for problems. Theoretically, an electric motor could be designed with the rpm and torque output of an ICE where a manual transmission would be beneficial for a car. Electronically simulating a transmission is ridiculous.

I didn't read the article, but in a modern ev I can only see merit in maybe 2 or three speeds plus reverse if it's an actual transmission and not just a parameter change.

With the stick shift Honda civic converted to electric that I tried out when deciding if I wanted to convert my own, it had the original transmission and you really only used gear 2 and 4. You came to a full stop geared in, and changed directly to 2 while at 0 rpm. Definitely a strange experience to anyone used to stick shift.

Did they develop their own system, or did they license Koenigsegg's?

This definitely has a place in sports cars. More control is a plus. If it's any good, it will be a hit.

I love manuals. I daily a car with a manual transmission. I'd drive any other EV before I drove a fake stick shift EV.

Maybe an excuse to set two different prices, but charge more overall.

This seems cool and I want to try it out. It would be cool if you had the option to turn it on or off.

Why this is a feature like this important? There are people who feel that EV’s lack the soul and/or personality of ICE cars. There was a recent YouTube video I watched where one of the hosts described a tesla as being designed by “someone who thinks driving is a chore.” This feature would provide him and the people like him with EV’s that have personality.

I can totally see this feature enabling simulation of different power curves like a V8, V6, I4, with and without turbo’s and superchargers. I can also see the car tuner community designing their own torque curves which would be amazing. We can already adjust ICE car torque curves over the internet, why not EV’s?

Adding complexity............. Motherfuckers are adding electric tailgate and auto wipers and you are worried about the manual transmission.

I can see a practical use for this if the simulation is as genuine as claimed. If a driver wants to learn how to drive stick it seems these cars can be used for teaching it without risking damage like that of gears grinding. They could learn how to use a clutch before starting to learn to drive a sports bike, for example.

I know in the country I live in if you do your driving test with automatic then your license is only valid for an automatic. This law should probably be changed imo, but I can see it causing people to be hesitant to go in on an ev if it means they will likely only be able to drive it. For people who already have a license, it obviously isn't an issue if they are just getting a new car, but they are also looking at young first time buyers and new drivers.

HEEEELLLLL YYEEESSSS

Still makes sense for the sports cars. But very few people on the planet want a manual EV daily. This will fail on commuter cars.

most amusingly no torque when you suddenly try and accelerate in top gear,

That's heroin for the carbon junkies, nothing more. I "look forward" to an armada of assholes trying to simulate asshole driver behaviour on an electric car 🙄