Toyota forward with its plan to add a manual transmission simulation to its electric cars.
A new patent application improves the driving experience and may satisfy drivers who enjoy manual driving in electric vehicles.
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It’s been a little over a year since rumors of a fake manual transmission invented by Toyota first surfaced. Some patents date back to 2017. However, Toyota recently decided to revisit the idea of this system, which it calls a “manual BEV concept.” At the Japan Mobility Show held late last month, it showed off a prototype version of the Lexus UX 300e that had both the transmission and clutch working.
The excitement that came from the test gave the company the motivation to go further.
While you are outside the vehicle, things operate quietly, like a typical electric vehicle. However, once you get inside, you are transported to the world of Fast and Furious, with artificial engine noise reproduced through the speakers to fully experience the driving experience of an internal combustion engine. As Lexus’ chief engineer for electric vehicles ,Takashi Watanabe, said: “From the outside, this vehicle is as quiet as any other electric vehicle. However, the driver can enjoy all the sensations of a vehicle with a manual transmission.” This possibility gives us great joy and the project is now in serious development.
While the original model only had six gears, Toyota has upgraded to 14. The patent application, spotted by Moto1.com, depicts a system with a full load of extra gears – more than double the number of gears found in a typical manual transmission. However, that’s all part of the game, and drivers can choose the number of gears they want if 14 seems excessive to them.
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No doubt, the idea of a fake gearbox is a bit of a stretch, but there's an argument that it could provide a fun touch, especially for electric race cars. But isn't the smooth, quiet ride of an electric vehicle one of its most dazzling features ? Furthermore, despite Toyota pioneering hybrid technology with the Prius, it didn't introduce any purely electric models until 2020.
Source: electrek.co
