And I thought Toyota had a winner with the Prius. I really like mine (2nd generation, >100kmi, still going strong). I'm a big fan of their "power sharing device" (PSD -- otherwise known as planetary gears). Aside the economics and (fairly) eco-friendliness, it drives quite nice, very smooth. Under the right conditions (flat, smooth road), it feels like gliding. I ride motorcycles too and I learned to drive on a stick shift, but in a car, it's just silly. You want what from me? Selecting the proper gear? What next, adjusting oil pressure?
Toyota patents plans for EV with manual transmission and clutch
151–160 of 267 posts
Re: Toyota patents plans for EV with manual transmission and clutch
#152And I thought Toyota had a winner with the Prius. I really like mine (2nd generation, >100kmi, still going strong). I'm a big fan of their "power sharing device" (PSD -- otherwise known as planetary gears). Aside the economics and (fairly) eco-friendliness, it drives quite nice, very smooth. Under the right conditions (flat, smooth road), it feels like gliding. I ride motorcycles too and I learned to drive on a stick…
Setting the choke properly... if anyone remembers those.
Re: Toyota patents plans for EV with manual transmission and clutch
#153Earlier quoted context omitted.
On a sidenote, here's a controversial opinion - electrically-powered analog clocks are silly and we should discontinue making them.
When the power goes out, what happens to an “electrically-powered analog clock?”
Continues to run for years on a 1.5V primary C cell.
Re: Toyota patents plans for EV with manual transmission and clutch
#154I love driving manual transmission cars but I really don't like this. It's like cosplay for cars. The simulated experience makes it very uncool. I'd rather just let the manual transmission have one last dignified drive into the sunset.
why should manual transmissions be limited to only petroleum powered engine? Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Re: Toyota patents plans for EV with manual transmission and clutch
#155Earlier quoted context omitted.
The counter argument is that European vehicles are vastly using manual gear, despite the fact that except for a small minority, no one cares about the potential difference in torque. There is just a lot of people that are used the a certain solution and are resistant to change.
no one cares about the potential difference in torque This stops being true the first time you depress the accelerator on an EV. My Kia has a 0-60 time comparable to a low-end Porsche.
Are you saying that like it's an obvious and irrefutable benefit? Having driven two EVs, I can safely say that 0-60 times specifically, and acceleration in general, are totally irrelevant to me. As long as the vehicle has no issues accelerating on the on-ramp (so most cars from the last 30years), everything extra is useless.
Re: Toyota patents plans for EV with manual transmission and clutch
#156I love driving manual transmission cars but I really don't like this. It's like cosplay for cars. The simulated experience makes it very uncool. I'd rather just let the manual transmission have one last dignified drive into the sunset.
why should manual transmissions be limited to only petroleum powered engine? Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Electric motors don’t need manual (or indeed, any) transmissions because they have a basically-flat torque curve across their entire RPM range. The only options for an electric motor are fake transmission or no transmission, and the parent is arguing for the latter and against “transmission cosplay”. A real manual transmission on an electric car would have no point.
Re: Toyota patents plans for EV with manual transmission and clutch
#157Hyundai, Kia, and Audi EVs have paddle shifters which controls the level of regeneration braking and feels very much like downshifting. One paddle (+) steps up the regen to the point where the “drag” gets progressively stronger. The other paddle (-) steps down regen to 0 where the car can coast and there is no regen drag whatsoever. Note this is not the same as Neutral. The car is always in Drive. The function only a…
Is it coincidence that so many designs first seen in Audi seem to show up in Hyundia/Kia at a short delay?
Re: Toyota patents plans for EV with manual transmission and clutch
#158Earlier quoted context omitted.
My Current car does this when the the petrol engine kicks in (Hybrid with CVT), it does a tiny bit of "gear simulation" with the engine if you floor it and it uses the petrol engine together with the electric one and it adds a bit more of fake engine sound though the speakers to make it more obvious. Strange thing is they chose to only have "three gears", no matter at what speed you do it the max is two shifts. Not t…
Nissan does this with their CVTs as well. Apparently they found that people didn't really like the "all one gear" feel, so they programmed in "gear changes" where the CVT changes ratio like an automatic. You still get the CVT advantage when going up a hill or stomping on the accelerator, though. They've been phasing out their CVTs in favor of traditional automatics, though.
Automatics now routinely have 7 or more gears. That's essentially a CVT for all practical purposes.
Re: Toyota patents plans for EV with manual transmission and clutch
#159I love driving manual transmission cars but I really don't like this. It's like cosplay for cars. The simulated experience makes it very uncool. I'd rather just let the manual transmission have one last dignified drive into the sunset.
If the artificial version is so life like you can’t tell it’s not a “real” transmission does it pass the “touring test”?
Re: Toyota patents plans for EV with manual transmission and clutch
#160Earlier quoted context omitted.
> EV Dodge Charger (car not car-charger, oh my god, what a branding screw up) To be fair, the Charger name was created long before it meant "thing you use to plug into an electric device", and the Charger is a very popular vehicle in the Dodge lineup. And you don't abandon popular models without generating negative PR. So Dodge didn't really have a choice. Plus, they can use the pun in witty commercials.
They killed the Charger brand in 1987, then reintroduced it in 2006. Fast cars are dangerous on our streets and responsible for a significant number of deaths on the road. It wouldn’t be bad if they killed the brand for society. It’s too bad that “car that gets you great mileage and helps protect kids in driveways and crosswalks” doesn’t sell.
Every car - including Tesla - meets your definition of "fast car." The "most boring car in the world," the Toyota Camry, will blow the doors off supercars of 20 years ago, and is about as fast in a straight line than many so-called "fast" cars.
It also gets great mileage and helps protect kids in driveways and crosswalks, and sells rather well.