Patent suggests Toyota will have manual EVs

Always in jeopardy with its application having steadily declined over the last few years, the manual gearbox has been granted a potential lifeline for use in electric vehicles.

While most battery powered vehicles feature a single-speed automatic gearbox, or a two-speed in the case of certain Audi models, as well as the Porsche Taycan, the latest patent submission by Toyota to the United States Patent and Trademark Office references a conventional manual ‘box and clutch instead of an an automatic.

According to the submission, dated 10 February 2022, “The electric vehicle also includes a shift reaction force generator that generates a shift reaction force in response to the operation of the pseudo-shifter using by the operating of the reaction force actuator”.

It adds, “The controller is configured to store the shift reaction force characteristic simulating the characteristic of the shift reaction force according to the operation of the shifter.

“Then, the controller is configured to control the shift reaction force output by the shift reaction force generator according to the operation of the pseudo-shifter using the stored shift reaction force characteristic”.

In mentioning its reasons for the patent, Toyota claims the simulated ‘box will provide a sensation similar to shifting gears in a conventional internal combustion vehicle fitted with manual transmission.

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“The driver can drive the electric vehicle like an MT vehicle having an internal combustion engine and a manual transmission,” the patent “summary” mentions.

“The shift reaction force output by the shift reaction force generator is controlled based on driver’s operation of the pseudo-shifter. This makes it possible for the driver to obtain a driving feeling as if the driver is operating the shifter of the MT vehicle”.

Despite the patent being unapproved at present, its pertaining to a type of transmission by Toyota comes on the back of the automaker’s reveal of a similar novelty five years ago.

Debuting at the Tokyo Motor Show, the GR HV Sports Concept sported a hybrid powerunit connected to an automatic gearbox, which at the push of the button on the centre console, turned into a manual ‘box with six ratios and a conventional gear lever rather than paddles.

The setup, though, never made it into production but if granted approval, the electric vehicle optimised “row-it-yourself” option looks well set to become a reality in a move that would preserve manuals for a lot longer.

Expect more details to become apparent over the coming months.