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I'm stuck on this personally. I love my manual, I have a tiny little Mazda 2 and I have driven that thing absolutely everywhere because I can control it better than any automatic I've ever driven. But I've been casually looking for a new car and I'd love to have an electric, but I don't want to lose that level of control and everything I love about a manual.

What do you all think? What's your take?

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[-] turmacar@lemmy.world 2 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

My sole current hangup on getting an EV (other than my '80s 300zx is still running) is that they are trucks, SUVs, sedans, or micro city cars. I feel like the last time I looked there was one or two little hatchbacks on the horizon, but not really anything in production.

Also not a fan of the current prices of course, but there seems to be a "missing middle" of a small car with good handling. Maybe the e500 or something will be that, but not enthusiastic about that coming to the US, and would like to have some options.

FWIW I have driven several and really like one pedal driving, but they all feel so big.

[-] Zorg@lemmings.world 1 points 9 months ago

Maybe it's just because I'm surrounded by giant SUVs & trucks, but the Bolt EUV feels like a little hatchback and handles great.

[-] turmacar@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago

The Bolt or something similar is probably what I'd go for if my car died tomorrow. I just don't need the 2nd row of seating/doors at all. No one's really making a new 2+2. (which I think is because it was (is?) partially a tax dodge so it wasn't a "2 seater sports car" or somesuch)

I know I'm being weird and picky but I like having just a big flat cargo space behind the front seats, partly because the dog likes going back there to lay down. It'd probably be fine but I think the way most modern 2nd rows only fold down to "angled" instead of flat is annoying.

[-] otacon239@feddit.de 2 points 9 months ago

I daily drive a stick and I’m honestly going to be sad the day I can no longer find a stick shift. It’s just so much more engaging to feel all of the mechanics react. I’ve ridden in a couple electrics, and while in almost every technical way, it’s better on paper, I prefer the vibration, noise, extra hand/footwork and so on of ICE and a manual transmission.

[-] neidu2@feddit.nl 2 points 9 months ago

Almost. At some point I probably will, but I'm not quite ready yet (mpstly because I haven't found an EV that fits my needs, and the infrastructure where I live is somewhat limited). So I am getting a gas/electric hybrid in a couple of months to replace my aging gasser.

[-] fubarx@lemmy.ml 2 points 9 months ago
[-] Treczoks@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago

When I bought my current car, I was looking for an electrical solution, but there was none. All tiny matchboxes on wheels, no space, no comfortable height to enter or leave the car for people with handycaps.

I have now seen the ID Buzz. Big enough? Just about. But it cost three times what I paid for my car, with half the options, and is butt ugly on top. As if it was designed to look horrible.

[-] Pringles@lemm.ee 1 points 9 months ago

I bought a hybrid honda civic last year which only has one gear, so no point in having manual transmission. Don't really miss it, although I always liked the extra control stick gives.

[-] metaphortune@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago

I had a manual for about 75k miles, mostly liked it, but have had an automatic since then (inheritence coming into play, free car = free car). I had a little Chevy Spark EV for about a year that was a joy. Honestly, not having to change gears at all is AWESOME. You don't think about the motion caused by even the best of manual shifts (let alone terrible CVT shifts) until it's not there. It's so much smoother to get up to speed and I loved it.

Waiting for battery tech to get a little better and running out my current car (Shoutouts to Toyota), then will be going back to an electric car.

[-] ratman150@sh.itjust.works 1 points 9 months ago

I've had several manual cars including 1998 Chevy Tracker (first car) 2017 Ford Fiesta ST (traded for a Lincoln towncar of all things) 1991 Ford F250 (still have)

I daily an electric Fiat 500, it's fine. I will say that when I hop on my motorcycle and bang through the gears it's briefly exciting but still slower/same speed as the lil Fiat.

[-] AngryCommieKender@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a44211128/toyota-prototype-ev-sports-car-manual-transmission/

https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/features/electric-manual-transmission

There are also a couple guys in Los Angeles that have been tinkering with converting older cars into EVs and some are made manual transmission as well

I kinda want to get an old 1986 SAAb 900 SPG and convert it to a manual EV

[-] AA5B@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Where I am, manuals have been difficult to get for the last few decades, so I gave it up. Actually I gave it up after spending too many hours sitting in traffic in a tunnel under Boston Harbor. Manuals may be a more satisfying driving experience but they sure became a hassle to find and to use

Since then, I’ve learned to appreciate other technologies for what they are. I’ll probably never like the traditional American land yacht automatic designed to just be cushy but there are plenty of sports sedans with outstanding, responsive automatics. I’ve also grown to appreciate the CVT in my Subaru: it’s a nice steady pull that is just always there and ready (CVTs got a bad name from from underpowered cars when the technology was new). But now I have a Tesla and wow! The instant torque and acceleration from any speed are out of this world , and the lack of engine noise makes it feel effortless. I’ll always love to feel the rumble of a big V8, but now it feels quaint, like that really cool steam engine in a museum. All that sound and fury, signifying nothing but noise and pollution.

Realistically the only transmission I hate (aside from traditional American land yacht automatics) is the fakes. Let me appreciate the transmission for what it does well, but when you add artificial shift points and fake noises, I’ll have none of that. I love my Subaru CVT but newer models have fake shift points, so no

[-] pan_troglodytes@programming.dev 0 points 9 months ago
[-] shinigamiookamiryuu@lemm.ee 1 points 9 months ago

Just no? C'mon my friend, be casual.

[-] mlg@lemmy.world 0 points 9 months ago

Only if its a hybrid that uses capacitors and a high output engine that only charges the capacitors.

So you get like 30-60 seconds of continuous insane power that you can put to the wheels, but after that the engine has to recharge the capacitors and provide enough to barely accelerate at the speed of like a a big semi without a hefty engine.

The trick is since you're not always doing WOT, you can effectively get ridiculous performance and really good MPG so long as you treat your capacitors like a boost meter that recharges.

Regular hybrids already do this, but they use normal Li batteries which usually requires that the engine also be able to directly power the wheels which adds complexity and cost.

It's kind of like how the ships works in Elite Dangerous lol.

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this post was submitted on 02 Feb 2024
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