There’s no turning back from electrification, but that doesn’t mean all cars in the future have to be boring. Or at least, that’s what Toyota thinks. Autocar reports that Toyota’s Gazoo Racing department has already begun testing its first fully electric sports car, and based on what its Chairman Akio Toyoda said, it sounds like it’s going to be a right blast.
Speaking to the publication at the recent 24 Hours of Le Mans race, Akio Toyoda – who is still taking an active role in the development of the EV sports car – said that their first priority is to make these kinds of cars “fun to drive, no matter what powertrain they use”.
According to Toyoda, “fun to drive” consists of fake engine sounds piped into the cabin, as well as three pedals and a “manual transmission” specifically designed for EVs. “If you put someone in the car and asked them to drive it and guess the powertrain, they probably wouldn’t be able to tell you,” Toyoda said of the prototype BEV GR model.
Of course, none of this is actually new. Toyota’s patent for an EV “manual” first surfaced in February last year, while its luxury subsidiary, Lexus, also shown off a manual EV concept in December – but Toyoda’s comments essentially confirms that the system is still in active development, and it’s not just a silly project dreamt up by a post-retirement ‘Master Driver’.
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As explained by Lexus’ electrified chief engineer Takashi Watanabe, the gear lever and clutch aren’t directly connected to the drivetrain. Instead, they simulate the sensations of a manual gearbox by adjusting the torque settings of the electric motor via software. The EV simulated manual gearbox is apparently so realistic that it’ll roll back on a hill, or even emulate a stall.
“Whether it makes it to the market or not, what the company is trying to do is explore the idea of what it is that we shouldn’t lose in a car even if it becomes BEV,” Toyoda added. “I can proudly say that this is an example of how Toyota has changed into a company where members can look into an idea that sounds interesting, create a car from their ideas, and then show it for test drives.”
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