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Toyota electric sports car
- Thread starter AnOutsider
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strider
Active Member
Good luck w/ that (manual transmission EV). It's just a way to cover for a poorly designed system and/or cheap components. I have the same problem w/ electric motorcycles. I will never buy one w/ the transmission. Does away w/ the whole reason for going electric.
Gotta love big companies - this person probably has no idea what's going on in the RAV4 program....
Gotta love big companies - this person probably has no idea what's going on in the RAV4 program....
SByer
'08 #383
Agree. A manual transmission - in an ICE or an EV - is just covering up design weaknesses. The design weaknesses are inherent in an ICE, what's the excuse for screwing up an EV that way?
How cool is it that Tesla got mentioned in the first sentence of an article about something only vaguely related to Tesla?
Definitely of industry leader, imho.
A transmission, prolly with computer assist, might work out OK. I don't mind Toyota trying such a thing out -- if it works well, then it solves some problems and creates a transmission hybrid.
Definitely of industry leader, imho.
A transmission, prolly with computer assist, might work out OK. I don't mind Toyota trying such a thing out -- if it works well, then it solves some problems and creates a transmission hybrid.
Reminds me of Jessi Lang's Audi coverage. Bet it's annoying for both Toyota and Audi.
For a dozen years I drove a manual Honda Civic. I did think that the manual transmission was more fun than an automatic. Why did I feel that way? Probably because it felt like I was in control of something more than the pedals and the steering wheel. And I could do something that an automatic would not have done: Choose the shift point to fit the conditions. More torque when I wanted to accelerate, or better FE when I was not in a hurry. Then I got the Prius and quickly learned to enjoy the ease of city driving without having to shift all the time. And now the Roadster just doesn't have the shortcomings that make some sort of transmission necessary in an ICE.
I can see how a race car might benefit from a transmission, since the Roadster's top speed would not make the grade in a race where cars have faster top speeds. But I differentiate between a race car and a sports car. A sports car does not have to go faster than the speed limit, as long as it has good acceleration at the top end. In fact, IMO the Roadster's top speed is 20 mph higher than necessary. I'd have lowered the gear ratio a wee bit to give it more acceleration at the cost of a lower top speed.
No transmission needed. A transmission just slows down the car for the ordinary (non race car) driver.
I can see how a race car might benefit from a transmission, since the Roadster's top speed would not make the grade in a race where cars have faster top speeds. But I differentiate between a race car and a sports car. A sports car does not have to go faster than the speed limit, as long as it has good acceleration at the top end. In fact, IMO the Roadster's top speed is 20 mph higher than necessary. I'd have lowered the gear ratio a wee bit to give it more acceleration at the cost of a lower top speed.
No transmission needed. A transmission just slows down the car for the ordinary (non race car) driver.
You have clearly never driven on the German Autobahn.... I was glad I could coax 137mph out of the Roadster.... without that I would have looked very silly with all the BMW's cruising at 155mph.
We are discussing sports cars in this thread... IMO 100mph top speed might have been acceptable 100 years ago but today that would be a marketing disaster.
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If we focus on street-cars v track-cars, there's no need for a transmission on any EV that never sees a track. And that's maybe 99.44% of the sales. Adding the complexity, weight, and cost of a transmission just to address a commercially tiny market isn't a good business call, IMO.
This thread might shift over to the "which direction?" thread where opposing views on this were thoroughly aired, so let's not rehash that debate. Some feel having a super-car that can post world-class Ring times is important for Tesla, and others want to focus on selling volume of in-house made vehicles. Given that Tesla has chosen the second track, it is wise to steer clear of transmissions. Toyota has profits to burn playing around with such misadventures.
This thread might shift over to the "which direction?" thread where opposing views on this were thoroughly aired, so let's not rehash that debate. Some feel having a super-car that can post world-class Ring times is important for Tesla, and others want to focus on selling volume of in-house made vehicles. Given that Tesla has chosen the second track, it is wise to steer clear of transmissions. Toyota has profits to burn playing around with such misadventures.
Lack of transmission or single speed is one of the maintenance advantages of the BEV right now. If some manufacturer started introducing BEVs with a transmission then the extra complexity should be denoted in the name. Since ICE + EV = hybrid, I figured BEV + transmission = transmission hybrid.
strider
Active Member
Yes but the Autobahn's days are numbered. There are already very few places you can drive those speeds (My family is from Saarland and the roads there are often clogged w/ French caravans avoiding the toll roads - and there are limits near towns which are growing, etc.). Also, efficiency is dreadful at those speeds ICE or EV.
But we'll find out as Model S is competitive w/ an M5 in every way except top speed. Buyers will appear or they won't.
Vger
Active Member
Hmmm... I cannot be the only one wondering if such a Toyota would have a Tesla-sourced drivetrain? The reporter was clearly not savvy enough to ask or speculate about that! It is going to be very interesting when Toyota and Daimler (Mercedes) start overlapping with Tesla end-product cars in target market, specs and function.
sorry, but not my experience this year... lots of clear Autobahn as we travelled to and from Geneva.
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