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Lexus LFA's Electric Successor Might Come With a Simulated Manual Transmission

Lexus has shown a fabulous concept vehicle earlier this year at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, which came in the form of the Electrified Sport concept. Many have called it the electric LFA successor, which has raised eyebrows regarding its potential of entering production. Recent statements made by Lexus officials only raise eyebrows even further, to a potentially painful area on the forehead.
Lexus Electrified Sport Concept 8 photos
Photo: Lexus
Lexus Electrified Sport Concept will make its debut at the Goodwood Festival of SpeedLexus Electrified Sport Concept will make its debut at the Goodwood Festival of SpeedLexus Electrified Sport Concept will make its debut at the Goodwood Festival of SpeedLexus Electrified Sport Concept will make its debut at the Goodwood Festival of SpeedLexus Electrified Sport Concept will make its debut at the Goodwood Festival of SpeedLexus Electrified Sport Concept will make its debut at the Goodwood Festival of SpeedLexus Electrified Sport Concept will make its debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed
Before we think too much about the above analogy, let us get right into the statement. It came from Lexus boss Koji Sato, who confirmed that the Electrified Sports will become a production car.

The boss of the Japanese premium marque did not explain when will the concept become a production vehicle, but that is not the most crucial element that flew over our radar.

Instead, the boss of Lexus explained that the Electrified Sport concept will be an attention-grabber where figures are concerned, and that he "has a thing for manual gearboxes." As "a hobby, he is looking into simulating a manual transmission for an electric vehicle," but not for efficiency purposes, Top Gear noted.

As you may be aware, there is no production electric vehicle with a manual gearbox, and it would not make any sense to implement such a device with an EV. Moreover, most EVs come with a single-speed transmission, with two-speed units being the exception, rather than the norm for electric vehicles.

The electric successor of the LFA might come with a simulated manual gearbox, as Lexus' boss described it, which would only provide the sensation of shifting gears, but without having to do such work. The gears in question would not exist per se, but rather be lines of code in the software that controls the vehicle.

The LFA did come with a six-speed, single-clutch automated manual transmission, which meant that a manual transmission was present, but a three-pedal configuration was not.

Instead, the driver actuated the unit using paddles on the steering wheel. The same might happen with its spiritual successor in EV form, except without the manual transmission, but possibly with paddles on the wheel.
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Editor's note: Gallery includes official images of Lexus Electrified Sport concept for illustration purposes.

About the author: Sebastian Toma
Sebastian Toma profile photo

Sebastian's love for cars began at a young age. Little did he know that a career would emerge from this passion (and that it would not, sadly, involve being a professional racecar driver). In over fourteen years, he got behind the wheel of several hundred vehicles and in the offices of the most important car publications in his homeland.
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