Does Alternative Power Require an Alternative Shifter?
Gearshifts have had pretty much the same design since automatic transmission became commonplace, and shift patterns on these cars have been fairly straightforward: Shift down to Drive and up to Park.
Recently we’ve seen some changes, such as gated or notched selectors. But nothing compares to what’s going on with shifter designs in hybrid and electric vehicles.
Since the selectors in many alternative fuel vehicles are drive-by-wire — where there is no physical connection between the shifter and the transmission — automakers have been able to get a bit more creative with their placement, shift patterns and design. We compared the designs of the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, Toyota Prius, Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt.
Continuing reading to find out how each one works.
Toyota Prius: Probably the most ubiquitous at this point, the Prius uses a design akin to a joystick. You move the selector to the left to place the car in Neutral and up from there to put the car in Reverse or down for Drive. Once you select a mode, the shifter will return to its original position, which is in its own gate away from the drive selections. You can shift the Prius down in this gate to select “B,” which is engine braking, which acts like downshifting the continuously variable automatic transmission.
There are three additional driving mode buttons on the center console near the shifter: EV, Eco and Power. The P button near the selector is how you put the Prius into Park. An emergency brake pedal is on the left side of the driver’s well.
Chevrolet Volt: The Volt has a very large shifter, mounted flush with the center console. The “flush” position places the Volt in Park; as you shift the lever down you will go through "R," "N," "D" and "L." "L" acts like a version of the "B" mode found on the Toyota Prius, Nissan Leaf and Mitsubishi i-MiEV. There are no indicating symbols for the selected drive on the shifter, the information is only available on the driver's LCD screen gauge cluster. There are selectable drive mode buttons on the center console: Normal, Sport and Mountain. An emergency parking brake toggle switch is on the right side of the center console, near the drive selector. The fat shifter design may have changed recently as the production model gets ready for sale, but GM has not confirmed any alterations.
Mitsubishi i-MiEV: The Mitsubishi i-MiEV has the most conventional gearshift pattern out of the bunch, probably because there is a gasoline version of the car. The transmission has a normal PRND setup with an Eco and B mode toward the bottom. Eco mode provides more engine braking, while B mode provides even more engine braking like the other hybrids and electric cars in the category. The emergency brake is a normal lift lever.
Nissan Leaf: The Leaf’s shifter acts like a giant pivot ball. You move the shifter over and then up for Reverse and down for Drive. If you let go, the shifter will go back to its neutral position but maintain the last selected “gear.” If the car is in Drive, pushing back to D will actually enable the B engine-braking function. Pushing the center P button will engage the electronic Park. The far-back handle will engage the emergency parking brake. The shifter is supposed to be controlled with your palm and not with your fingers, which might take some getting used to.
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I think you have some miscues with some of the control locations and action directions.
For instance:
"An emergency parking brake toggle switch is on the left side of the center console, near the drive selector."
In the picture the parking brake toggle is on the right not left.
Small things, but left me wondering if I was looking at the right pictures. The article is informative otherwise.
I like all of them - except the shifter on the Leaf. Bad design, probably thought up by some 20 year old art student.
These cars are turning more into an electronic device and I think the shifters shown don't keep pace. Just make it a touch screen.
Also the volt's shifter is hideous! It's like you're removing some ancient jewel from a stone in some old indiana jones movie. Could they make that thing any bigger?
The Honda Insight and Civic Hybrid have a conventional shifter, but then again, they also have a CVT transmission and I assume the linkage is mechanical.
I think they are all dorky especially the Prius, Leaf, and the i-MiEV. They look tiny, complicated, and weird. The Prius and the Mitsu both look like something for people with tiny hands and the one in the Leaf looks like it would cause the older crowd to have wrecks. The Volt looks okay, but still it's odd. I had a professor in college that I rode with in her Prius and she had it for a few weeks and still didn't know how to use it. Mainly when the car shut off after sitting still and had to push the P button and put it back in drive. I couldn't help but think on the Prius, wouldn't you push up to put it in Drive, and pull down to put it into Reverse?
Also the volt's shifter is hideous! It's like you're removing some ancient jewel from a stone in some old indiana jones movie. Could they make that thing any bigger?
ast year. Meyer is suing for "medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages and permanent disability in the form of short-term memory loss." She says in court papers filed in Mississippi that Freeman had consumed several alcoholic beverages before getting behind the wheel, and should be held responsible for her losses.http://www.hairghdstraightenermall.com/
Two words: teletouch. Or is that one word?
http://www.lovefords.org/58edsel/default.htm (scroll down)
The problem is not the unconventioinal desiigns these companies introduce. THe issue stems from a societies unwillingness to adapt or accecpt new ways. Sometimes just admitting or trying something new actually helps merge new technologies into lives at an easier rate. Shut down the wall of what you see and know, and take new innovations as exactley what they are and were intended to do. chances are if we follow what the designer intended with all preconcieved notions aside, that these designs are actually rather useful I think the best thing to do is to get in each of these vehicles and give them a try. Become familiar, then validate your opinion with factual evidence. FYI the Prius shifter is actually quite intuitive, its meant to be used with the flick of a finger, not an entire hand. And as far as reverse in the up position and drive in the backward position, thats designers sticking to conventional thinking by you product users. Think of any conventional shifter, reverse is more forward than drive, and drive usually is in the rear most position.