Manual Transmissions Outsold by EVs in 2019
The manual transmission, beloved by purists who are all too willing to explain how manually shifting gears makes the experience of driving more enriching, is slowly going the way of the dinosaur. Though stick shifts will likely never truly die out thanks to its hardcore contingent, 2019 marked the first year in which vehicles with manual transmission were outsold by electric vehicles.
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The news comes courtesy of Green Car Reports, who pulled Power Information Network data from J.D. Power to discover that manual sales made up 1.1 percent of all sales in 2019 versus 1.6 percent coming from EVs. This reflects a dip of 0.5 percentage points for manual-equipped vehicles and an increase of 0.1 percent for EVs, and with more new electric vehicles on the horizon like the Ford Mustang Mach-E and GMC Hummer EV, the percentage of EVs sold is likely to only continue to increase exponentially.
Even with its standing as a favorite of enthusiasts, manual transmissions are becoming less and less common. Autoblog notes that holdouts like the Subaru Impreza Sport, Hyundai Elantra, and Hyundai Veloster Turbo have dropped the manual as an option and that new cars like the Toyota Supra are not offering sticks despite expectations. Recently, vehicles like the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, Mazda6
There are glimmers of hope that the manual isn’t going anywhere and could potentially recover part of its dwindling market share. It’s rumored that the Cadillac CT4-V and CT5-V will have manual transmission options, and it’s even been suggested that Ford could break back into manual transmissions with its upcoming Bronco. But even if these come to pass, the likelihood is that manual transmissions will dip below 1 percent of all car sales while EV sales climb closer to double digits.
Looking for a Manual Transmission? You may want to consider looking at a pre-owned car
Kyle S. Johnson lives in Cincinnati, a city known by many as “the Cincinnati of Southwest Ohio.” He enjoys professional wrestling, Halloween, and also other things. He has been writing for a while, and he plans to continue to write well into the future. See more articles by Kyle.