In today’s edition of What the Heck, there’s a strange case where Ford essentially wants to put a fake manual shifter in an electric vehicle. The company has secured a patent aimed at regaining the elements of traditional driving. It feels like changing gears.
The Ford patent, entitled Shifter Assembly for Electric Vehicles, was published on March 20th under US Patent Office number 2025/0092947. It depicts a traditional gear stick attached to a box. But why is the problem?
Electric vehicles come with traditional gear shifts that mechanically vary the transmission ratio, just like ice cars. On the contrary, Ford’s design is completely electronic and is intended to mimic the feel of gear changes purely. But there’s more to it.
US Patent and Trademark Office
This patent shows gear levers that replicate a variety of manual transmission patterns, including sequential up/down trucks and 6-speed H patterns. Patents have a “virtual route.” This suggests that these configurations can be changed dynamically through software rather than physically locked.
In a typical ice car, a gear stick is installed in a transmission tunnel and linked to a manual transmission with mechanical linkage. Here we only link to many actuators controlled by the electronic power controller while sitting on a high part of the floor.
The patent states that this feature “controls the flow of electrical energy delivered by the battery pack and controls the speed of the motors and torques that each motor produces.” However, if Ford’s system can change the shift pattern electronically, it will help enable customization for 6- or 7-speed configurations. interesting!
Ford also intends to use tactile feedback to replicate the physical sensation of shifting gear, further enhancing the experience. This could replicate the feeling of several types of shifters, ranging from smoother cable systems to more traditional rod mechanisms.
US Patent and Trademark Office
The device could offer programmable resistance, a feel of gear engagement and even boujeness, just like how Apple’s MacBook TouchPad Clicks clicks.
Ford says battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), traditional hybrids and even fuel cell vehicles could all be equipped with the system. This means that regardless of propulsion type, technology is intended to be versatile enough to accommodate rare drivers who still prefer the manual-style driving experience.
And while all this sounds like an April Fool’s Day joke, manual transmission of electric vehicles is not a whole new idea. Toyota was working on a similar concept in 2022, creating a simulation manual transmission with clutch pedals that mimics traditional gear shifts with various torque delivery. Hyundai did the same for the Ioniq 5 N. It features a simulated paddle shifter that produces an ice car-like feel.
The EV accelerates instantly when the pedal is pushed firmly into it. For example, the Ford Mustang Mach-E can go from 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in just 3.3 seconds. This is also a Porsche 911, which is faster than most ice sports cars.
US Patent and Trademark Office
However, it’s appealing that EVS is not good. They are quiet and as they reach faster, the force remains almost consistent, which bores the long journey. It’s this very problematic, at least in my eyes, that Ford is trying to solve with a fake manual system.
At the moment, Ford is currently selling two EVs: the F-150 Lightning and the Mustang Mach-E. It is unclear whether this technology will be produced or not, but if so, it will definitely give you much needed courage for EV driving.
As much as I don’t want to admit it, I have the pseudo-feeling of shifting gears when the day comes when the internal combustion engines are finally extinct. After all, we should be able to show our kids how we drove that day.
Source: Online Free Patent
