There is a myth that says an electric vehicle will never have a manual transmission. It is a myth. It is true that few EVs have a manual transmission. But, that does not mean that a manual transmission can never be a part of the offerings from an EV manufacturer.
In fact, some manufacturers already offer the EV that possibility. Who are some of them?
The Ford Mustang EV car launched a few years ago is a 1,000-horsepower EV version of the popular sportscar. It is also a six-speed manual transmission car. It has a third-foot pedal.
EVs are not just for street cars. They are also around in power sports. Tesla notes that they are manufacturing a four-wheeler, and another company, Nikola is making an electric jetski. None of those have indicated being a manual shifting set-up. But, the interesting thing is, in February 2020, Kawasaki Motorcycle Company from Japan teased the all-electric Endeavor model. It is a 4-speed, manual transmission motorcycle. The motorcycle seems to be still undergoing development.
EV West is a California company that makes electric conversions for its customers. It also ships conversion kits to customers that might feel handy enough to take on a project. The company has a manual-shifting Volkswagen Bus that it converted years ago.
So, in essence, EVs are not excluded from using manual transmission. Instead, the likelihood of an EV having a manual transmission is dependent on the voltage system. If manual transmission EVs were to suddenly become available from every manufacturer it might be too late.
A generation of new drivers has come along that is so familiar with automatic transmissions. Often, in their minds, manual transmission is a thing of the past. Now, an electric with no transmission is the natural progression from an automatic.
Conclusion
In general, can EVs come with manual transmissions? Yes, they can. But it is not necessary in many situations, and many drivers are not looking towards having them, especially the new generation drivers.
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