All new performance cars will potentially become electric very soon. However, there are currently no electric vehicles (EVs) that offer a manual transmission option, a fact that is disappointing for fans of manual transmission. Akio Toyoda, the former chairman of Toyota, revealed to Automotive News that the company is in the process of developing an electric sports car which may change this.
Toyoda stated that he drove a Gazoo Racing prototype during the 24 Hours of Le Mans last weekend. He remarked:
You hear the engine noise inside the car and you have a manual transmission with a clutch. You truly do not notice you are driving an electric car—the only thing missing is the smell of gasoline.
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Toyota has unveiled a Sports EV concept but hasn’t officiated its launch yet. Lexus is developing an electric LFA replacement and has tested a transmission that mimics a manual gearbox to make EVs more exciting. Lexus refitted the UX300e with a manual shifter and clutch simulator as well.
The car’s interior engine noise may be phony or boosted by the car’s electric motors. Either way, Toyota’s fake manual transmission for EVs will be an intriguing concept.
