So what will happen?

I am really sad... You read all of these articles stating that full Electric cars are the future... I may grumble a bit; but I say fine... quick off of the line (I am talking sportscar) nimble handling, blah blah blah... but Direct Drive? 1 gear meaning no rowing through the gears, not feeling the excitement... A manual transmission to me is a necessity... I did read that Brammo Motorcycle company puts in a 6-speed gearbox in their electric motorcycles...

Are we seeing the death of the manual gearbox in cars? I just do not think it will be the same...

What does the community think? Am I just counting my days until they are gone Forever!

In reply to 91RSImpulse: I really do not know. I'm not sure how much we've "evolved" since the 70's and 80's or earlier as far as replacing manuals with auto's. I feel like there were more manuals in the recent past and autos were an added option. Know, I turn my head whenever I hear a manual shifting to get a look at the driver. I know my 70 y/o mom got her license in a manual. Is the trend away from "manual" labor part of it?

Everyone (blanket statement alert) seems to want to actually DO less and have machines do more and maybe the "trouble" of shifting is related.

I think every new driver should first learn a manual. To appreciate the feeling of being "connected" with the car (and not through Bluetooth either).

They'll realize that if driving a manual if you go into zombie mode and act more like a passenger, you will stall, crash or otherwise have an unpleasant drive. A manual keeps you focused.

It's a real shame. The less connected to a car one is, the more "appliance" it becomes and the less automakers will endevor to elicit a feeling while driving.

I currently own 14 manual vehicles, fight to keep them alive, buy a new manual so manufacturers can justify building them.

if you drive a likely to be stolen car, then a manual transmission is one of the best theft deterrents you can have

CCV will be the go to for new cars now that they last... but ick IMHO. I to wish standards were just that standard... Give me engine and wheels please! I'll do the driving, I don't want nor need drive by wire steer by wire or brake by wire sonar E36 M3 that will break and cost more then the car did to fix.

You can replace my manual with an automatic when you pry my cold hands off of the POS gearbox that broke for the umpteenth time this year and hand me a torque converter that fits a L4N71B that has a ~3500rpm stall speed and won't explode at 10,000rpm, and also a manual valvebody.

Seriously, please do it, my hands are going numb from RSI changing these weak-ass manual transmissions,

I do not see direct drive being good for electric cars. Electric motors make the most torque at ZERO RPMs and power drops off as the speed of the motor rises.. so gearing to keep the electric motors at a lower RPM.. you can use more of the power and save more of the electrons

If max torque is at zero, then the power will have a curve to it. Zero RPM means zero power.

I would imagine that electric motors have a three dimensional current in/power out/RPM efficiency curve and you'd want to gear it based on that and expected loads.