Ford patents a manual gearbox for electric cars — Yes, seriously!

By Daksh Choudhary29 Mar 2025
Credits: Ford

Ford wants you to row gears in an EV

Ford has filed a patent that brings a manual gear shifter to electric cars—but without any real gears. Instead of controlling a gearbox, the lever mimics gear shifts using electronics. It's designed to recreate the feeling of driving a manual, even in a gearless EV.

Credits: US Patent and Trademark Office

A manual stick, reinvented

The system includes a traditional-looking gear lever mounted on the floor. But rather than moving mechanical parts, it sends signals to adjust motor speed and torque. It’s all about simulating gear changes, not actually making them.

Credits: Ford

Simulated shifts, real engagement

Ford’s patent includes force feedback through small motors. When you shift, the lever offers resistance, vibrations, and even “notchy” feedback—mimicking the sensation of a classic gearbox. It can follow a 6-speed H-pattern or work as a sequential shifter.

Credits: US Patent and Trademark Office

Why add gears to gearless EVs?

EVs are smooth and quick, but many enthusiasts find them lacking in engagement. This simulated shifter adds a tactile connection between car and driver. It’s more about fun and feel than performance or practicality.

Credits: Ford

You're not alone, Ford

Ford isn’t the only one exploring this idea. Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 N uses paddle shifters to simulate an 8-speed DCT, while Toyota has tested EVs with fake clutches and stall-outs. The goal? Make EVs feel as involving as ICE cars.

Credits: Ford

Will it make it to production?

For now, it’s just a patent filed in 2023 and published in March 2025. But it shows Ford is thinking about how to keep driving fun in the EV era. The manual might be dying—but its spirit could live on digitally.

Credits: Ford
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Credits: Ford