There was a lot of scepticism online when we originally broke the news that Toyota had patented a manual transmission for battery-electric vehicles a year ago. Only some technology car companies will make it into the final product. This time, though, things are different, especially since Lexus CEO Koji Sato said that making the best-looking instructions for the company’s upcoming BEVs—complete with shifts and noises—was his “hobby.” Because of this, Toyota kept going. When a working prototype has already been shown, why wouldn’t the company offer a service to fans worldwide who want the instantaneous torque of an EV with a manual transmission? Toyota’s welcome move back to making cars that perform well also helps. So, it will soon happen. Takero Kato, in charge of Toyota’s newly opened BEV Factory, said at the company’s Toyota Technical Workshop earlier this week that Toyota will make an EV with a manual gearbox. The next-generation battery packs from the maker and the simulated manual could be ready as early as 2026. In a talk about the company’s plan for the next generation of electric vehicles (EVs), Kato said that a “manual EV” was a technology that could only be made by a car company. “In addition to the longer range and stylish style, we will give our customers an experience that will make them say “Wow!” Toyota’s presentation focused on its new battery packs, but its more comprehensive BEV strategy clarified that it would not be happy with machines that could only move people. Suppose it’s anything like the prototype in the video above. In that case, its manual EV configuration will likely have a clutch pedal and engine noises to give the driver a more traditional combustion engine-like driving experience, which is the rule. Toyota is known for giving priority to hydrogen fuel over battery power. Since then, it has caught up quickly, and its most recent gains are not funny. Toyota thinks that its new lithium-ion batteries will have a range of more than 600 miles in the next three years. Even more exciting is that the company will show off its first solid-state battery in 2027. The range will be about 745 miles, and only take 10 minutes to charge. Lastly, a second solid-state battery with a range of more than 930 miles is scheduled to be ready by 2030. Toyota will probably do well if it can make a low-cost sports car with a manual gearbox and a range of 600 miles. Another question is whether or not it can match the pure driving experience of a shift-by-wire engine.
