I have been driving for 30 years and my first 20 years was with manual transmissions. The past ten years have been automatics and I hated them. This is very geeky, but the other day I "made pretend" I was driving a manual in my Model S. The car has so much pick-up that I found I was "shifting" every second. The key was to not let off the accelerator all the way when "shifting" because I wanted to get close to neutral without regen. Anyway, it was pretty cool and I got to thinking.....If Tesla made a virtual manual shift kit for the Model S, I would be first in line to buy one. They could have a dummy clutch and shifter and set a program that makes engine sounds over the speakers. When the "clutch" is depressed, you can rev the "engine" compete with a tach on the display. It shouldn't be all that difficult to do. They can synchronize the clutch and accelerator to move the car accordingly and have the shifter change the rev sounds to match the "gear' that you're in. I know this is nuts but it would be so cool.
While we're at it, let's put a metal crank on the front of the car that you have to turn vigorously a few times before it will start.
If you drive mountain roads, or roads with lots of bends, then you already get the feel of a manual transmission with the single pedal driving of the model S.
I like this idea. If they can do creep mode and low regen mode to ease in drivers of automatic, why not create a virtual manual gear shift effect and a at least a virtual gear stick on the tPad!
I've also been driving a long time, and the first half of that long time was spent shifting gears in cars with manual transmissions. Yes, they were fun to drive back in the day. They could also be hell in stop-and-go rush-hour traffic. But I have a hard time understanding why anyone would want to pretend that a Tesla has a manual transmission, or an internal combustion engine that makes revving noises. Why would you not embrace the fact that it has an insanely powerful, silent electric motor with no need for gears? It was one thing to be 8 years old and scotch-tape a playing card to the spokes of my bicycle, pretending it had a "motor". It's quite another thing to have reached a point where the vehicle I'm driving is so advanced that it has no need to pretend to be a bicycle, or anything else from the past. However, you're clearly still having fun behind the wheel in your Tesla, so more power to you (pun intended). :smile:
Morgan is planning to or does offer an electric roadster with a five speed transmission and clutch. http://www.caranddriver.com/photo-gallery/morgan-plus-e-electric-roadster-revealed-sports-five-speed-manual-geneva-auto-show
I can understand this. I was looking for an AWD+Manual car in the US, and there's only a limited selection of them nowadays. When I test drove the Model S, I would occasionally reach with my right arm looking for the gear shifter. I could've sworn there was another company that does manual electric cars. More like a roadster, than a Model S...
This app does some similar things. Run the app through the stereo and it will use the accelerometer and mimic acceleration, shifting (if you back off the accelerator to mimic shifting), cornering and braking. XLR8 on the App Store on iTunes
I just downloaded it. My wife is out in the car so I can't try it yet, but just tilting the phone makes it respond. It's pretty cool. I can't wait to try it.