Ford may put stick shifts in its EVs, only 18% of US drivers know how to use it

Ford electric vehicles may bring back a feature that has been largely phased out from new vehicles over the last few decades

but less than a fifth of U.S. drivers actually know how to use it. According to paperwork published this month, Ford has filed a patent to incorporate stick shifts in its EVs

With this move, the automaker hopes to enhance driver engagement, which some electric vehicle owners report is falling

Due to the seamless and continuous acceleration, these models offer sometimes feeling monotonous at high speeds

Because EVs don't have traditional gear boxes, instead of mechanically engaging gears, the system uses an electronic

actuator to control the motors' output and torque. This means shifting will be a simulated experience

controlling the flow of electricity rather than physically engaging gears. A small motor is placed at the

base of the shifter designed to create realistic vibrations and resistance, aiming to mimic the feel

of shifting gears in a traditional manual car. Ford is not alone in exploring this concept. Hyundai has

already implemented a virtual shifting system in its Ionic 5N, using paddle shifters to mimic gear

changes, while Toyota is testing a similar system in its Lexus RZ prototype. However, this

comes at a time when fewer American drivers are familiar with manual transmissions. According to a

survey by U.S. News and World Report, today, only 18% of Americans know how to drive a stick shift

compared to the 1990s when the figure ranged between 25 and 30%. Meanwhile, less than 1%

of new vehicles sold in the U.S. last year had manual gearboxes

A spokesperson for Ford did not reveal many details about the company's potential implementation

of this feature, saying that submitting patent applications is a normal part of its business

to protect new ideas and help build a robust portfolio of intellectual property

And the ideas described within a patent application should not be viewed as an indication

of Ford's business or product plans. For Straight Arrow News, I'm Jack Almer