Toyota working on manual transmission for hybrid cars – report

It appears as if hybrid vehicles are here to stay, with patent filings showing Toyota is working on a manual transmission that will work with electrified engines.

A patent discovered by US website The Drive shows Toyota is working on a manual specifically for hybrids, with a clutch that can be controlled by the driver or the car's computer.

The patent – which was submitted in August 2021 but has only recently been made public – appears to allow the engine to deliver or cut power to the rear wheels using a clutch, potentially allowing the electric motor to drive the wheels, reducing the level of input required by the petrol engine.

But rather than relying on a drive-by-wire system to control the clutch – that is, an electronic signal being sent to an actuator – the system still uses a clutch master cylinder with two secondary 'slave' cylinders, one controlled by the computer and one by the driver.

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It's believed this would allow the driver to engage the clutch at any point, regardless of whether the car's computer has already done so.

Curiously, Toyota appears to have used a silhouette of its iconic Supra coupe of the 1990s as part of its patent sketches (above), to illustrate the approximate location of each component in the car.

However, while there is likely to be a use case for a manual transmission in sports cars, it's possible the system could eventually make its way into hybrid-powered commercial vehicles such as the HiLux ute and Hiace van – a segment where manual transmissions are still in high demand, particularly in overseas markets.

Despite the unique design of the system, there have been a number of hybrid cars available in overseas markets with a manual transmission.

MORE: Toyota patents manual transmission for electric cars

In Australia, just two hybrid models were available with a manual shifter: the Honda Insight, launched more than 20 years ago, and the sporty Honda CR-Z offered between 2011 and 2013.

Another Toyota patent for a manual transmission designed to work in an electric vehicle surfaced in February 2022, followed by a video in December 2022 showing an electric Lexus UX300e being driven as a manual.

A dial allowed the driver to select between battery-electric mode, or between a simulated four-cylinder or V8 engine, depending on their mood.

Would a manual transmission make hybrid technology more appealing to you? Let us know in the comments below.