Does the rise of the EV really mean the death of the manual gearbox? 

While the number of cars offered with a manual gearbox will dwindle over the next few years, fans of self-shifting needn’t get too despondent, because some car makers are coming up with modern takes on the manual ’box.

If you’re able to afford a new or nearly new car, in particular an electric car or plug-in hybrid, there is little point in taking the manual test. Learning to drive in an EV will give you valuable experience of the driving characteristics of these cars.

“All EVs ,PHEVs and Hybrid cars are automatic, so in the near future, most people will drive an automatic,”

Evidence of the change in learning preferences working as a driving instructor, switch to a car with an automatic gearbox because that’s where there was greater demand.

Data shows that in 2023, 37% of people training to be a driving instructor with the chose an automatic vehicle rather than a manual.

Many existing instructors are also switching to autos.

The rise in the popularity of EVs and plug-in hybrids (PHE Vs) is also fuelling the change with Free road tax for most of hybrid and all electrics.

The renowned car seller website Autotraders.com mostly advertise hybrid or electric car for sale.

New vans and cars all electric for sale and people start charging with portable 3 plug charger at work nowadays sometimes FREE .

(Amazon link below)

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The AA began to offer lessons in EVs in March 2022, with learners taking around 49,000 hours of driving lessons in them during the first year. That year, 10% of total passes were from pupils who had spent time learning in an EV.

learning in an EV helps new drivers become familiar with some of the unique aspects of EV driving, such as charging and regenerative braking, and this can help them feel confident choosing one when they have passed their test.

Is it easier to take your test in an automatic car? 

With no clutch control to learn and gears to manage, you might think it’s easier to pass your test in a car with an automatic gearbox. However, statistics suggest this isn’t the case.

Pass rates for tests taken in automatic cars have lagged behind those for manual vehicles for the past decade, although the gap between the two has closed in recent years.

In 2013 to 2014, only 39% of those who took the test in an automatic passed the first time, compared with 48% for manual cars.

In 2023, though, 43% of the tests taken in automatics resulted in a pass, compared with 50% for manuals.

Lower pass rate for autos down to the fact that learners in manual cars have often had more time behind the wheel to practise driving skills.

Good car control among drivers of automatics could be mistaken for test readiness, when, in fact, the learners still need more time to develop correct decision-making on the road.

In general, the mistakes drivers make when failing their tests in an automatic will largely be the same as those who fail in a manual car.

“Observation, particularly at junctions, is often where pupils fall short, and the correct use of mirrors and proper steering control are among the top reasons why pupils do not pass their practical test.”

Should you still learn to drive in a manual car?

Cars with manual gearboxes are declining in popularity, but does that mean it’s no longer worth learning to drive in one? So let’s take a closer look…

With the backlog created by the coronavirus pandemic clearing, the number of people taking their driving test was almost back to normal last year. The majority of tests were taken in cars with manual gearboxes, but the latest statistics show a sharp increase in how many learners opt to take their test in a car with an automatic gearbox instead.

Nineteen percent (324,000) of driving tests taken in the year from April 2022 to March 2023 were in automatic cars, compared with 13% (200,000) in 2019-2020. That’s a threefold increase in the popularity of automatic tests compared with a decade ago when they accounted for only 6% (96,000) of tests taken.

Why are more learners shunning manuals? 

Most of younger drivers don’t see the point in learning to drive a manual car when they’re unlikely to need to do so in the future. The adverts they see for newer cars are for hybrids and EVs (electric vehicles), so that’s what they aspire to owning and driving Automatic cars.

Only 24% of the new mainstream cars on sale were available with a manual gearbox, and the split between auto and manual new car sales has switched drastically. In 2019, the number of manual and automatic gearbox models registered was fairly even at 49% autos and 51% manuals, but last year 71% of new cars registered had an automatic gearbox and only 29% were manuals.

UK new car registrations*

Another reason for the switch is time. With early lessons often being spent practising clutch control, learning with an automatic gearbox sidesteps this issue and means drivers could be on the road after fewer lessons.

Among qualified motorists, older drivers generally believe it’s worth following the automatic test with one for a manual licence, just in case it’s necessary to drive a manual car occasionally. Contrastingly, the vast majority of younger drivers take no further lessons once they’ve earned an automatic-only licence.

The safety features in an EV make it easier to drive as long as you are used to the features the vehicle offers. Lots of specs such as reverse & forward cameras. rear censors allow parking safely and easily.

Driving lessons for beginners learning to drive in an electric vehicle (EV) will become increasingly common as all new cars sold from 2035 in the UK will have to be electric as part of the government’s net-zero targets.

At the moment, it could also help those who are scared to drive a manual car because of having to use a clutch and change gears most of the time. plus Easy Hill starts in automatic.

While electric cars are simpler to drive than most petrol or diesel-powered cars because they have simply batteries & motors, there are still differences in acceleration, charging techniques, economic use of battery pack power, and awareness of other road users.

1. Junctions – observation.
2. Mirrors – change direction.
3. Control – steering.
4. Junctions – turning right.
5. Move off – safely.
6. Response to signs – traffic lights.
7. Move off – control.
8. Positioning – normal driving.
9. Response to signs – road markings.
10. Reverse park – control.