BYD Launches A Version Of Its e3 Electric Sedan With A Clutch Pedal And Stickshift

It is a widely-publicized advantage of electric motors that they don’t really need conventional transmissions, but BYD is challenging that with a new version of its e3.

The model developed for driving schools features a manual transmission setup with three pedals and everything. Actually, it also features a fourth pedal, which is in the passenger’s footwell. It’s a brake, since this is a driving school car, but the point remains that this e3 has an H-pattern ‘box.

It’s not quite clear how BYD is implementing the transmission at this point because it isn’t selling the car to regular consumers. Car News China reports, though, that the model comes with a number of driving modes, named economy, teaching, throttle lock, and sports, all of which are apparently designed to simulate scenarios for different teaching purposes.

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The e3 comes with a 38 kWh battery that can go 350 km (217 miles), according to China’s test cycle. The manual model starts at 131,800 Yuan ($20,500 USD) while the automatic goes for 141,800 Yuan ($22,055 USD).

Although we don’t know exactly what’s going on with this transmission, BYD’s involvement in industrial vehicles may serve as a hint. And while an EV with a manual transmission is unusual, it’s not unprecedented. In fact, I’ve driven a Volkswagen Microbus whose flat-four was replaced with an electric motor but kept VW’s four-speed manual.

The reasoning was that it used a DC motor from a forklift. DC motors, unlike the more common AC motors, actually have a torque curve, a bit like an engine, so there are still advantages to be gained from such a transmission.

In the electric Microbus I drove, the clutch was only required for changing gears, not stopping at a light or getting off the line since there was no risk of stalling. Whether that’s how BYD is using its transmission is unclear, but the company certainly does make forklifts and other industrial vehicles.