Manual transmission fans may finally be getting a manual EV with an upcoming Lexus electric supercar. While the new model has yet to receive a name, it’s being hailed as the spiritual successor to the Lexus LFA for sale. At a recent forum in Brussels, Belgium, Toyota’s European president, Matt Harrison, discussed an upcoming manual transmission designed specifically for electric vehicles.
So far, Toyota hasn’t said which models will get the manual EV transmission. Still, the electric successor to the Lexus LFA is the most obvious answer. Quite likely, Toyota won’t debut the manual EV transmission in a Prius or other entry level vehicle.
Electric vehicles typically don’t have transmissions at all, at least not in the way people normally think of a transmission.
Gas vehicles need gears so that the combustion engine can crank out adequate torque at different speeds. With an electric motor, torque at any speed isn’t a problem. The power curve with an electric motor makes traditional multi-gear transmissions unneeded.
Traditional transmissions are heavy and complex. They’re also expensive to build. Thus, most electric cars have avoided using them. However, there’s something about the feel and closeness to the road when driving a manual transmission.
So far, it sounds like Toyota’s efforts to create a manual transmission will focus more on the look and feel rather than performance. The system will be software based and will allow for a lot of adjustment, meaning drivers can craft a manual transmission that fits their preferences.
