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Ford electric vehicles may bring back a feature that has been largely phased out from new vehicles over the last few decades
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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
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With this move, the automaker hopes to enhance driver engagement, which some electric vehicle owners report is falling
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Due to the seamless and continuous acceleration, these models offer sometimes feeling monotonous at high speeds
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Because EVs don't have traditional gear boxes, instead of mechanically engaging gears, the system uses an electronic
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actuator to control the motors' output and torque. This means shifting will be a simulated experience
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controlling the flow of electricity rather than physically engaging gears. A small motor is placed at the
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base of the shifter designed to create realistic vibrations and resistance, aiming to mimic the feel
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of shifting gears in a traditional manual car. Ford is not alone in exploring this concept. Hyundai has
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already implemented a virtual shifting system in its Ionic 5N, using paddle shifters to mimic gear
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changes, while Toyota is testing a similar system in its Lexus RZ prototype. However, this
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comes at a time when fewer American drivers are familiar with manual transmissions. According to a
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survey by U.S. News and World Report, today, only 18% of Americans know how to drive a stick shift
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compared to the 1990s when the figure ranged between 25 and 30%. Meanwhile, less than 1%
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of new vehicles sold in the U.S. last year had manual gearboxes
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A spokesperson for Ford did not reveal many details about the company's potential implementation
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of this feature, saying that submitting patent applications is a normal part of its business
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to protect new ideas and help build a robust portfolio of intellectual property
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And the ideas described within a patent application should not be viewed as an indication
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of Ford's business or product plans. For Straight Arrow News, I'm Jack Almer
