When it comes to electric cars, Toyota is way behind the times. But not for long. Recently, the Japanese announced a huge electric model offensive consisting of fifteen new models. And these future Toyotas may also appeal to fans of an old-fashioned game of switching. Toyota has applied for patents for a ‘manual gearbox’ for electric cars.
huh? Electric cars don’t have gears, do they? That’s right! But the gearboxes for which Toyota has applied for patents are also not real gearboxes, but far-reaching simulation techniques.
The true shifting feeling is simulated
In short, this means that the electric Toyotas are not only equipped with an accelerator and brake pedal, but also with a clutch pedal and gear lever. A computer calculates how much torque should be delivered at any given time based on the position of the clutch pedal, the accelerator pedal and the position of the lever. When changing gears, the torque delivery is even briefly interrupted, in order to simulate the true shifting feeling.
The tachometer should also be monitored
And that’s not all. The patents also include a virtual tachometer, which is linked to another computer. Based on the data from the electric motor, the pedals and the poker, that computer calculates a virtual speed. All important things such as this speed, or the current ‘gear’, are then projected on the display.
Three different driving modes
The patents indicate that Toyota has equipped the system with three different driving modes. The first mode simulates the pure driving experience. You then have to operate both the clutch pedal and the lever. If the simulation is in the second mode, only the use of the poker is required. In the last position you no longer have to grab the poker. According to Toyota, the car then behaves more like a fossil car with an automatic transmission, than like a usual EV.
How realistic would it feel?
The patents, eight in total, were all applied for in the summer of 2021. It is unclear to what extent the technology has progressed and when we can expect it in future Toyotas. We also don’t know yet whether the virtual switching actually feels a bit realistic. But if it does, we like to be fooled.