Hybrid / hydrogen drive does not signal death of manual transmission!
Take a look at the hybrids currently on sale in the world, from Toyota, Honda, General Motors (in the US only) and Ford, as well as concept hydrogen powered cars. Almost all are equipped with automatic transmissions, most of which are of the continuous variable transmission (CVT) kind found locally in a few Audi’s and mostly scooters. This has to do with the intricate nature of powering these vehicles, and the electronic wizardry to do it. Does this indicate that the greener the automotive future the fewer manual transmissions will be made? GreenCars would like to think NOT, and here are our reasons:
Firstly, it is not even fathomable at present when all vehicles on the roads (and on the farms, factories and middle-of-nowhere-towns) will all be either hybrid or hydrogen powered. Imagine having a hydrogen refuelling station and hybrid servicing workshop in Kibre-Mendist – a town in southern Ethiopia. Not too soon, I guess. The world will make due with a lot of alternative biofuels for a very long time, if not indefinitely. So, if BMW can build bio-fuelled sedans to satisfy their customers’ needs for manual transmissions, who will they be to argue against it?
Secondly, we have recently seen different versions of hybrids that employ varying amounts of electricity to aid driving. For example, BMW’s Efficient Dynamics system uses regenerative breaking to save fuel by powering electric components, while the stop-start function saves wasted idling when stationary. Peugeot has a similar system, and both offer manual transmissions as part of the package.
Thirdly, there is scope for the argument that growing consumer taste for ever more efficient automatic transmissions will not be able to remove their necessity on some applications. Off-road and commercial (big trucks!) uses of transmissions often require precise powertrain control only available with a manual shifter. While auto boxes are improving in their applications in SUV’s and soft-roaders, hardcore trucking will for decades still need to have the big muscled guy behind the wheel pick gears himself.
Fourthly, if a trend of producing fewer and few manual transmissions does catch on (a la the USA), there will be a significant niche market for at least premium sports and supercars driven by manual powertrains. Porsche, Ferrari, Koenigsegg, etc will always have markets for their vehicle – which will not likely have hydrogen fuel cells and electric engines for a loooooooong time.
Relevance for South Africa: Locally, we still enjoy a bias towards buying manual transmissioned cars. In the foreseeable future, this seems likely to still be the case, so our buying prospects look rather safe for now.
By Christie Viljoen
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Whatta nice articles…
Recently most people like to save their fuel in whatever way…
By using hydrogen is one of them…
I just find this blog if u like its articles…
http://hidrogen-fuel.blogspot.com/2008/08/understanding-hydrogen-as-alternative.html