EVs don’t shift
I know there’s no reason for them to, but a small part of me wishes there was. Something so satisfying about being good at managing gears
Comment on You guys have to end it
AA5B@lemmy.world 3 days ago
It’s been difficult to find manual transmisssions for a couple of decades here in the US. That ship has sailed.
While most of my life I vowed my kids would learn manual, I gave up on that idea because
- manual transmission cars are rare and disappearing
- automatics now are more fuel efficient
- CVT are reliable and even more efficient
- EVs don’t shift They started driving in a world of automatics and will soon be in a world with no shofting
JustAnotherKay@lemmy.world 3 days ago
Gladaed@feddit.org 2 days ago
There are simulated transmissions for the weirdos.
JustAnotherKay@lemmy.world 2 days ago
I’m not that into the idea, and the simulation kind of ruins what I’m after anyway. I want to feel it when I get a good/bad shift and I want it to matter.
Sure, you can simulate the engine rumbling and the gears grinding. You can even rock the boat a bit with some hydraulics. When I shift “wrong” you can make me feel it for sure. But when I shift right, it’s not just smooth so that you can’t feel it. It’s smooth so that you can feel it ya know? (Okay maybe it wasn’t that smooth and what you’re really feeling is a slight clutch dump but wasn’t it fun)
shalafi@lemmy.world 2 days ago
I feel this post in my old bones.
AA5B@lemmy.world 2 days ago
So true. I’ve never been more tempted to keep a classic car, even if it’s just an old shit box with manual transmission.
vaionko@sopuli.xyz 2 days ago
I seem to recall some EV having a 2 speed transmission. A modern one, not like the Electrek that had a 5 speed manual
exasperation@lemm.ee 2 days ago
When I learned how to drive, manual transmissions were higher performance and better fuel efficiency: side by side comparisons of the exact same model of car would show better 0-60 and quarter mile times, while having slightly better EPA fuel efficiency ratings, for the manual transmission.
At some point, though, the sheer number of gears in an automatic transmission surpassed those in the typical manual gearbox, and the average automatic today has 6 gears, up to 9 in some Mercedes and 10 in certain Ford and GM models. So they could start selecting gear ratios for better fuel efficiency, without “wasting” a valuable gear slot. There was a generation of Corvettes that was notorious for having a 6th gear that was worthless for actual performance but helped the car sneak by with a better highway fuel mileage rating.
And the automatics became much faster at shifting gears, with even the ultra high performance supercars shifting to paddle shifters where the driver could still control the gear, but with the shifting mechanism automated. Ferrari’s paddle shifter models started outperforming the traditional stick shift models in the early 2000’s, if I remember correctly. As those gear shifting technologies migrated over to regular automatics, the performance gap shrunk and then ended up going the other way.
At this point there’s not enough reason for a true manual stickshift transmission. It’s no longer faster or more economic, so it’s just a pure fun. Which is fine, but does make it hard to actually design one for any given model of car.
AA5B@lemmy.world 2 days ago
In the US it’s not really even cheaper - as in maybe you could save a couple hundred on a few models but most won’t offer a choice and it’s nothing in proportion to the cost of the car and the chances of finding one are so small it’s not even worth trying for most cars. There may be a few - are jeeps still available?
My favorite car was a Miata with a stick (even though I’m too tall to fit) - maybe I need to track down an older one before they’re gone forever
474D@lemmy.world 3 days ago
Isn’t the civic si series all manual?
Two2Tango@lemmy.ca 2 days ago
The Si and the R! They both sell like hotcakes, waited 8 months for my 2024 Si. I’m not sure why Honda doesn’t increase the volume, there’s still a lot of demand - maybe the margins aren’t as good as their SUVs :(
474D@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Wow I had no idea, that’s crazy. I went with the 2024 sport touring because I do city driving 90% of the time, but that Si looked NICE
AA5B@lemmy.world 3 days ago
I bought a civic in 2006 and it took 6 weeks to get one. A manual would have taken much longer
nexas_XIII@lemm.ee 3 days ago
Had a manual 2016 Mazda 3. Took a bit to find it with all the options I wanted but it was available at the time.
lemming741@lemmy.world 3 days ago
kameecoding@lemmy.world 3 days ago
I think he is confusing CVT with the toyota eCVT which is quite different and is actually reliable
lemming741@lemmy.world 2 days ago
The Prius system is a modern marvel and deserve a better name than eCVT.
Belt type CVTs are trash. I don’t care that your Subaru has 57,000 trouble free miles, it’s going to die.
thebigslime@lemmy.world 2 days ago
If they aren’t made by Nissan, they are.
lemming741@lemmy.world 2 days ago
Subaru
static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/…/MC-10231303-0001.pdf
Honda
static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/…/MC-10236086-0001.pdf
GM
static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/…/MC-10213745-9999.pdf
Mitsubishi
static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/…/MC-10252683-0001.pdf
Chrysler uses the Nissan trans and they are king of the shit heap.
meathorse@lemmy.world 2 days ago
Belt CVTs - I’m right there with you, but take a look into the more modern geared CVTs such as Toyota e-CVT in their hybrids - I think Honda have a similar tech. It’s a planetary gear system that provides infinite gears without the rubber band feel that plagued belt CVTs and hella-reliable.
youtu.be/vHc-_E8xWnM?si=tzCJWXHmC9T5GCpx
I’m a petrolhead at heart and would love more options for manuals but in lieu of that, a geared CVT is by far the next best transmission and 100x better than a traditional auto.
Even better, jump in one and take it for a drive - because there are gears, it feels more connected to the motor - almost manual-like response and no sluggish delay like a traditional auto.
You literally pick your revs by pushing the throttle more or less, they’re magic for hills or when the car is packed since you’re never waiting for revs to climb up into the power nor holding a speed because any faster and you have to change again which takes you out of the power again. If you want more power, you simply modulate that with the throttle and the revs rise instantly to accommodate.
CptEnder@lemmy.world 2 days ago
CVTs are good for tractors that need a wide range of torque ratios but still stay automated.
lemming741@lemmy.world 2 days ago
They’re good for go karts and for auto manufacturers that want their product to be worthless about time you pay it off.
AtHeartEngineer@lemmy.world 2 days ago
I’ve had a Subaru CVT for 10+ years with over 200k miles no issues