RIP: EV's outsold manual transmission cars in the US last quarter

[Kaido]

EVs outsold manual transmission cars in the US last quarter

While electric vehicles have some way to go before they are as ubiquitous as gas-powered cars, demand is on the rise. So much so, that they outsold manual transmission vehicles in the US last quarter, according to data from research group J.D. Power.

www.engadget.com

 

[heymrdj]

EVs outsold manual transmission cars in the US last quarter

While electric vehicles have some way to go before they are as ubiquitous as gas-powered cars, demand is on the rise. So much so, that they outsold manual transmission vehicles in the US last quarter, according to data from research group J.D. Power.

www.engadget.com

I’m not sure that it’s really newsworthy. In fact, it’s more negative than I figured, not even 2% yet? You can’t buy what you can’t buy, manufactures aren’t providing any manual platforms now, especially ones that general populace can get into. I would have loved to get my 2019 Canyon Denali in manual, for example. But you can only get the MT with the 4cyl engine in WT trim. Sorry I want air conditioned seats and the ability to row my own gears. Article comes across as written by the type of author that would say that new dialup connections have fallen behind Cable sales.

TL;DR EVs will continue to outsell manuals because you can’t buy one because CAFE and profits.

 

[CZroe]

I still shop exclusively for manual transmissions and I don't see that changing until I'm forced to change. Even then, I'll likely start commuting on a motorcycle instead.

My vehicle history:
Old 81 Toyota Celica
Barely used 97 Mitsubishi Mirage DE Coupe (manual)
New 2001 Hyundai Elantra (yes, they were manual back then)
New 2008 New Kawasaki Ninja 250R
New 2011 Toyota Corolla (manual)
Used Kawasaki Ninja 250R x3

Hoping for a used Ford Fiesta ST next (manual-only)... or a Ford Focus RS but I don't think I could afford it.

 

[CZroe]

I still shop exclusively for manual transmissions and I don't see that changing until I'm forced to change. Even then, I'll likely start commuting on a motorcycle instead.

My vehicle history:
Old 81 Toyota Celica (manual)
Barely used 97 Mitsubishi Mirage DE Coupe (manual)
New 2001 Hyundai Elantra (yes, they were manual back then)
New 2008 Kawasaki Ninja 250R (motorcycle so... duh)
New 2011 Toyota Corolla (manual)
Used Kawasaki Ninja 250R x3

Hoping for a used Ford Fiesta ST next (manual-only)... or a Ford Focus RS but I don't think I could afford it.

 

[thedarkwolf]

Both my current cars are manual but my next car will hopefully be an EV. Do plan to keep my miata though.

 

[Kaido]

I’m not sure that it’s really newsworthy. In fact, it’s more negative than I figured, not even 2% yet? You can’t buy what you can’t buy, manufactures aren’t providing any manual platforms now, especially ones that general populace can get into. I would have loved to get my 2019 Canyon Denali in manual, for example. But you can only get the MT with the 4cyl engine in WT trim. Sorry I want air conditioned seats and the ability to row my own gears. Article comes across as written by the type of author that would say that new dialup connections have fallen behind Cable sales.

TL;DR EVs will continue to outsell manuals because you can’t buy one because CAFE and profits.

tbh, that's one of the reasons I made the decision to go with my stick-shift Ecoboost Mustang, despite sitting in traffic quite often with my commute. The new Shelby is the first GT500 without a manual transmission option in the entire history of the Mustang line...figured I should jump on a stick-shift to keep forever & ever while the getting was good! Plus, at the moment, I rent & have an assigned parking space & thus no room for another vehicle (and no electric charging options, sadface), so this is kind of an early-start, one-owner, long-term investment on a fun car, haha!

 

[LurchFrinky]

All of my first cars were manual transmission - I just couldn't stand the disconnect between the throttle and RPM in automatics.
My last manual was a 99 Passat and I had to tell the dealer that I didn't care about the color (white) or options as long as it had the manual transmission.
Since then, all of my cars have been VW/Audi with the DS transmissions and I don't mind it one bit. I tried to manually shift the gears for a while, but the computer could manage it better anyway, so I gave up.
I can see myself going EV in the future.

 

[Kaido]

All of my first cars were manual transmission - I just couldn't stand the disconnect between the throttle and RPM in automatics.
My last manual was a 99 Passat and I had to tell the dealer that I didn't care about the color (white) or options as long as it had the manual transmission.
Since then, all of my cars have been VW/Audi with the DS transmissions and I don't mind it one bit. I tried to manually shift the gears for a while, but the computer could manage it better anyway, so I gave up.
I can see myself going EV in the future.

Hah, if you don't like the disconnect between the throttle & RPM's, you're gonna love the instant response on EV's! I test-drove the Tesla Model 3, then drove my 2018 stick-shift Mustang home, and it felt like a horse & carriage compared to the electric car lol.

 

[ondma]

One reason manuals are going away is safety and automated driver assist technology. Much harder to manage auto emergency braking and adaptive cruise with a manual. AEB is almost if not totally essential for a five star safety rating, which everyone wants now. I know some dont like them, but the one driver assist technology I am completely sold on is adaptive cruise control.

As far as EVs go, if I ever buy another new car, I would very seriously consider a hybrid. Pure EVs, I am not sure are there yet, in terms initial cost, range, and charging infrastructure.

 

[CZroe]

One reason manuals are going away is safety and automated driver assist technology. Much harder to manage auto emergency braking and adaptive cruise with a manual. AEB is almost if not totally essential for a five star safety rating, which everyone wants now. I know some dont like them, but the one driver assist technology I am completely sold on is adaptive cruise control.

As far as EVs go, if I ever buy another new car, I would very seriously consider a hybrid. Pure EVs, I am not sure are there yet, in terms initial cost, range, and charging infrastructure.

My manual transmission 2011 Toyota Corolla doesn't even have cruise control. Don't even want it.

 

[repoman0]

Not too surprising I suppose. I see a lot more EVs than manual transmission cars, only a matter of time until that trend goes nationwide.

I’ve been figuring my next daily driver is going to be an EV, but I think I’ll stick with another dino-powered manual transmission car after all. We don’t really have space for two EVs to charge and my fiancée is a committed electric driver. No problem .. ND Miata, M2 C, 981 GT4, Shelby GT350 are all calling my name. Need to drive them all and pick one within the next year or two as my old 330xi rusts away.

 

[BarkingGhostar]

I think it has to do with the growing of the American waistband. American girth is usually related to the laziness. Why should the desire to operate a manual transmission be exempt from the lazy people out there? Also, driving a manual in city traffic is a bitch and my laziness says no manual. And as American laziness continues to grow with out waists the need to do less inside the car is natural and so you have autopilot.

 

[ondma]

I think it has to do with the growing of the American waistband. American girth is usually related to the laziness. Why should the desire to operate a manual transmission be exempt from the lazy people out there? Also, driving a manual in city traffic is a bitch and my laziness says no manual. And as American laziness continues to grow with out waists the need to do less inside the car is natural and so you have autopilot.

I still like driving a manual in the right conditions. I do mostly stop and go city driving though, so it is just not worth the hassle, plus I need an automatic for my wife.

 

[NutBucket]

When I met my wife she was driving an MT. Figured it was a sign!

It used to be manuals appealed to people trying to save a buck. Now they appeal almost exclusively to enthusiasts.

 

[ultimatebob]

That doesn't surprise me... almost nobody wants a manual anymore. Even the best drivers can't shift faster than the new dual clutch automatics.

 

[Commodus]

That doesn't surprise me... almost nobody wants a manual anymore. Even the best drivers can't shift faster than the new dual clutch automatics.

That's what some manual fans seem to forget: many of the reasons for using a manual have disappeared.

Faster? Nope. More efficient? Not anymore. More control? Some autos have a pseudo-manual mode that works just fine. More reliable? Well, an EV will definitely be more reliable. The appeal of a manual now boils down to "I prefer the feel of a stick shift."

 

[zinfamous]

That's what some manual fans seem to forget: many of the reasons for using a manual have disappeared.

Faster? Nope. More efficient? Not anymore. More control? Some autos have a pseudo-manual mode that works just fine. More reliable? Well, an EV will definitely be more reliable. The appeal of a manual now boils down to "I prefer the feel of a stick shift."

Pretty much. I was convinced that I wanted the DSG in my new GTI, for all of those reasons, but I did end up going for manual...for all of those reasons:
--~$2k cheaper
--convinced by the community that MT just "feels" better in the GTI and is the only transmission that you should want
--I kinda wanted to go back to manual anyway, so was looking for all the self-justification

...and, I definitely don't regret it, but I would be plenty happy with the DSG. I know this will be my last MT, ....OK, maybe my last car if "the stalls" return and the thing kills me on the freeway!

 

[Midwayman]

With things like SMT or DSG I don't really feel the need for a full MT. Even slush boxes are way better than they used to be. I think the bigger travesty is they rarely put LSDs in automatics. That's one options that should be on any car that makes more than about 250hp.

 

[EXCellR8]

That doesn't surprise me... almost nobody wants a manual anymore. Even the best drivers can't shift faster than the new dual clutch automatics.

That may be true, but still doesn't make automatics better. Lazy american motorists will always choose the easier and more convenient option, regardless of speed.

As far as reliability goes... EV might be more reliable but certainly not cheaper to fix. Don't care if I'm the last person on the planet who wants MT, stick or nothing for me.

 

[Commodus]

Pretty much. I was convinced that I wanted the DSG in my new GTI, for all of those reasons, but I did end up going for manual...for all of those reasons:
--~$2k cheaper
--convinced by the community that MT just "feels" better in the GTI and is the only transmission that you should want
--I kinda wanted to go back to manual anyway, so was looking for all the self-justification

...and, I definitely don't regret it, but I would be plenty happy with the DSG. I know this will be my last MT, ....OK, maybe my last car if "the stalls" return and the thing kills me on the freeway!

That sounds fair! With that said, I'd have been tempted to get the DSG just to thumb my nose at the crowd.

I'll say this: having been in a Tesla Model S, I'd say the always-on torque of an EV is more intoxicating than rowing the gears. It's like a solid wave of power that doesn't seem to end.

 

[snoopy7548]

Put me in the "manual or nothing" camp. My first car was a manual, and so was my second. I recently bought a used car which is also a manual; I had to buy used because Honda stopped producing the manual transmission trim. I'm holding on to this one for as long as possible.

For me, I've always liked the feel and control of a manual transmission. I never cared about fuel efficiency or speed. Even in a crappy car (which my previous one was), the manual simply made it fun to drive. I would have hated the car if I got the CVT option.

I'm not sold on paddle shifters either, and that's such a weak selling point as an "alternative" to a manual transmission. There's nothing like taking a corner, pushing the clutch in, downshifting, letting the clutch out and speeding up as you exit the turn.

Faster isn't a valid argument for automatics anyways. The vast majority of people, at least on my commute, take ages to accelerate.

 

[NutBucket]

With things like SMT or DSG I don't really feel the need for a full MT. Even slush boxes are way better than they used to be. I think the bigger travesty is they rarely put LSDs in automatics. That's one options that should be on any car that makes more than about 250hp.

True LSDs are going away for "normal" cars IMHO. It's cheaper to use the brakes to achieve similar results (for street driving anyway).

 

[NutBucket]

Put me in the "manual or nothing" camp. My first car was a manual, and so was my second. I recently bought a used car which is also a manual; I had to buy used because Honda stopped producing the manual transmission trim. I'm holding on to this one for as long as possible.

For me, I've always liked the feel and control of a manual transmission. I never cared about fuel efficiency or speed. Even in a crappy car (which my previous one was), the manual simply made it fun to drive. I would have hated the car if I got the CVT option.

I'm not sold on paddle shifters either, and that's such a weak selling point as an "alternative" to a manual transmission. There's nothing like taking a corner, pushing the clutch in, downshifting, letting the clutch out and speeding up as you exit the turn.

Faster isn't a valid argument for automatics anyways. The vast majority of people, at least on my commute, take ages to accelerate.

Honda still offers MTs in the Fit, Civic and Accord. That's nothing to sneeze at.

On your other points I agree. It's all down to preference and feeling "in sync" with the car.

 

[Midwayman]

True LSDs are going away for "normal" cars IMHO. It's cheaper to use the brakes to achieve similar results (for street driving anyway).

Most cars seem to use overly aggressive throttle cut instead these days.

 

[theeedude]

I am planning to go to an electric car from my current manual one