Toyota Files Patent Application For A Clutch Operated Manual Trans for EVs

Toyota Files Patent Application For A Clutch Operated Manual Trans for EVs

The manual might still be around.

The future of Toyota Electric Vehicles is going to be exciting. Toyota’s future EVs may also include some elements from the past, besides the improvements in performance, range and efficiency. According to a Toyota patent filing, a clutch-operated manual Transmission may be on the future options list for your next Toyota. How does an EV’s manual transmission work? Let’s see.

Transmissions are virtually non-existent in today’s EV market. In Tesla products there is no shifting, and only a one-speed transmission. Porsche and Audi also use 2-speed transmissions to provide better handling at higher speeds, which is why they are better able to perform on the German Autobahn. Transmissions aren’t necessary in modern EVs, except for these two heavyweights. Toyota intends to change this. Toyota patently filed a traditional clutch-activated manual transmission that uses a familiar shift lever, much like the one found on a GR86. According to Toyota’s patent filing, “The controller for the electric vehicle is designed to control the torque using the MT model based upon the operation amount and shift position of pseudo-shifter, and the accelerator pedal operation amount.”
Toyota Files Patent Application For A Clutch Operated Manual Trans for EVs

Pseudo is an interesting addition, since it suggests that the entire transmission is for entertainment purposes only. Toyota will make this system even more intuitive by adding the shift reaction force generator to its electric vehicle. This generator generates a shift response force when the pseudo-shifter is operated using the reaction force actuator. Toyota EVs may have a simulated manual transmission, which allows for the same movement as a manual transmission in a sports car. We are excited to see what Toyota will do in the future for EVs.