Toyota (NYSE: TM) is seeking to maintain the manual transmission in electric vehicles (“EVs”). This news comes after patent applications by the carmaker were posted on Toyota BZ Forum, a forum of Toyota enthusiasts.
A total of eight patents are attached, detailing different features that the manual electric model will have. Electric cars mainly have one or at most two forward gears. However, in this case the documents revealed the presence of a clutch pedal and a shifter that are not connected to the car’s electric motor. The car will rely on sensors and software to make a manual transmission. The sensors would take note of the placement of the clutch and shifter, and then the motor controller would change the speed.
The patent documents also mention how physical pressure of an electric clutch and a shift reaction force can be simulated. Other simulations include those of sound and stalls. For example, a driver could hear a similar sound of a tachometer when they change gears or use a clutch. As for the stalls, the motor controllers could simulate one when the car stops without the clutch being put in by the driver. In another instance, the recreated revs would decrease to levels below where a real combustion engine would stall. It is also said that the car has the ability to switch between the manual transmission mode to the gearless EV mode.
The leak of the patents has seen a mixed reception. Some are applauding the decision to still maintain the ability to manually change gears. Other responses make it clear that this is a pointless idea to mimic a retired system.
Despite this technology’s attempt to recreate the manual gear change, it does not improve the performance of an electric vehicle. It would actually make the acceleration slower by interrupting the electric motor’s linear torque delivery. The documents note that the manual-shifting operation might not live up to the driver’s expectation when it comes to driving manual vehicles.
Similarly other carmakers have filed patent applications to modify electric cars and have them equipped with manual transmissions. Ford would like its drivers to change gears with the help of an electric clutch.
Nevertheless, the future plans for Toyota look promising. The carmaker seeks to have launched about 30 electrics vehicles by 2030, and so far 12 concepts for electric cars were revealed last year. Meanwhile, this year, the Toyota BZ4X and Subaru Solterra are expected to be seen in showrooms. The 2023 BZ4X is the company’s first mass-market electric car.
The EV industry is just taking off, so we shouldn’t be surprised when Toyota and other players in this space, such as Fisker Inc. (NYSE: FSR), unveil many more innovations intended to give other sector players a run for their money.
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