Toyota is gearing up to release an electric vehicle that will simulate manual transmission, featuring a faux stick-shift, clutch and even virtual revving sounds.
Electric cars don't change gears and a ‘manual EV’ would be entirely cosmetic. But Toyota is moving forward with the plans to make its driving experience more fun for traditionalists who love combustion engines.
"Alongside the improved cruising range and stylish design, we will offer our customers a truly 'wow!' experience," said Takero Kato, president of Toyota's newly established BEV Factory.
Kato is leading development of Toyota's "manual EV," along with other models that will be rolled out starting in 2026.
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Manual transmissions in stick-shift cars were once ubiquitous but have been dying out in the United States. The system requires drivers to operate a clutch and manually change gears as the car changes speed.
The vast majority of gas-powered cars on the market today use automatic transmission — which, as the name explains, handles gear changes automatically. EVs use electric motors that operate silently and don't need to shift gears at all.
Toyota's "manual EV" would appeal to enthusiasts who love the roar of a gasoline engine and the feel of the car shifting gears under their control. Software designed to simulate those sounds will "amplify the fun of driving," Kato told The Wall Street Journal.
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Technology in development would allow Toyota EV owners to customize the revving sounds and driving feel of their vehicles to mimic a sports car or a classic car. The car manufacturer is also striving to make batteries last longer at lower costs.
After focusing on hybrid technology, Toyota is striving to catch up in the EV market with the launch of 10 new electric vehicles globally that will be manufactured at an annual production rate of 1.5 million by 2026.
"In the next few years, we will expand our line-p in the important battery electric category," Toyota President Koji Sato said in April.
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Toyota currently offers just three fully electric models and sold less than 25,000 last year, according to Reuters, compared to 2.6 million hybrids.
The automaker's new EV production goal is 300,000 higher than was previously forecast, according to S&P Global Mobility.
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An examination of the construction of a Tesla Model Y that one executive described to Automotive News as a "work of art" and "unbelievable" helped drive the company to change to an "EV-first" mindset rather than designing battery-powered models using the same engineering as its internal combustion engine vehicles. A new unit led by Kato is focused on EVs and will oversee their development.
Toyota aims to sell 3.5 million EVs in 2030, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Fox Business' Gary Gastelu contributed to this report.
