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Manual transmission is not somehow cool, it just shows the inefficiencies of a regular gas engine more openly: that the engine has to run in a certain small band of RPM to provide the energy for driving. Automatic transmission covers the deficiency best - and will be the standard on the electric car future ahead. In that way, Americans are already used to the future.

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I don't get why you're downvoted, it's exactly the case - the very need for having a gearbox is a problem of ICEs. Electric engines don't have gears because the RPM/efficiency curve is pretty much flat.

Aren't there still benefits to running at lower speeds? Electric motors aren't magic frictionless devices, higher speeds must still produce increased wear and heat.

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