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Many driving enthusiasts want to be excited about electric cars. But there’s some mourning in the excitement, too. They promise more quickness, but possibly less fun.
The instant acceleration of an electric car has the potential to completely change our understanding of what a high-performance car is. The Lucid Air Sapphire and Tesla Model S Plaid can each jump from 0-60 mph in around two seconds – Formula-1-car speed in 4-door sedans.
But electric cars lack transmissions, and those of us who look forward to our time behind the wheel often love the control a manual transmission offers.
Toyota reportedly has the solution. The Japanese automaker has been working on a manual transmission for electric cars. This week, at a technical workshop for reporters, the company said it could be ready for the market by 2026.
Toyota Engineers: Focused on Wow
“We want to be able to deliver a sense of ‘wow’ to customers,” Takero Kato, head of battery development for Toyota, told reporters at the technical briefing. Engineers are trying to “expand the possibilities for enjoying cars,” he said, which includes “manual EV technology.”
Toyota’s next generation of EVs, he said, “will be implemented globally and as a full lineup to be launched in 2026.”
It Even Stalls
The automaker has revealed the research before. Takashi Watanabe, chief engineer of Lexus Electrified, told reporters about it last December. In prototypes, he said, “The driver is able to experience all the sensations of a manual transmission, including the possibility to stall or to roll back on a hill start if the clutch is not engaged.”
The Wall Street Journal reports that the system “generates fake sounds” as well.
The company also recently applied for a patent for a performance-oriented manual transmission for hybrid and plug-in hybrid cars. The moves have Toyota positioning itself as an unlikely savior for the performance car in the electric age.
