The death of the stick shift is almost here

https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2026/07/17/death-stick-shift-is-almost-here/

by bookofjoe • 5 days ago

5 7 5 days ago

washingtonpost.com

bookofjoe• 5 days ago

https://wapo.st/4gJh1ww

phillc732• 5 days ago

Article is narrowly focused on the US market.

“Driving a manual vehicle is a lost art.”

Hardly. It may be decreasing overall but nowhere near a lost art.

“Yet manual-equipped cars still have a loyal following, making up nearly 29% of new-car sales in 2024 across Europe's big five markets.”[1]

[1] https://www.slashgear.com/2039491/why-manual-transmissions-a...

toomuchtodo• 5 days ago

For now. The trajectory is clear; consider VW is planning on letting 100k workers go as an indicator of the future of combustion powertrains, including a manual transmission.

VW memo confirms 100k job cuts, no plans for four plants - https://www.automotiveworld.com/news/vw-memo-confirms-100k-j... - July 14th, 2026

Electric car sales smash records as Europe sees 'explosive' growth in EV registrations - https://www.gbnews.com/lifestyle/cars/electric-car-sales-eur... - July 17th, 2026

Europe EV sales top 1 million in first half as demand accelerates - https://www.reuters.com/business/europe-ev-sales-top-1-milli... - July 16th, 2026

Europe EV Sales Report: BEVs Jump 39% and Reach 24% Market Share! - https://cleantechnica.com/2026/06/24/europe-ev-sales-report-... - June 6th, 2026

International Energy Agency. Global EV Outlook 2025. – processed by Our World in Data. “Share of new cars sold that are electric” [dataset]. International Energy Agency. Global EV Outlook 2025., “electric_cars_iea” [original data]. Retrieved July 17, 2026 from https://archive.ourworldindata.org/20260615-132505/grapher/e... (archived on June 15, 2026).

(~20-25% of annual global light vehicle sales are currently EVs or hybrids, as of this comment; the market for combustion vehicles is rapidly compressing)

phillc732• 5 days ago

I agree the use of manual gearboxes in cars is decreasing. However, as of today, it is nowhere near a "lost art" and it won't be for a long time. There are enough manual gearbox cars in the world that, especially in developing nations, they will be around for a long time, even more so if agricultural and other industrial vehicles are considered.

The article was needlessly hyperbolic and narrowly focused on a single market.

dwoosley• 5 days ago

This feels similar to the argument that electric will full kill gas cars. I have three cars; one I drive with one pedal, one with two pedals, and one with three pedals. I can say that the stick serves a very different function than the other two which makes me skeptical of the idea that stick shift will go to absolute 0 anytime soon.

The electric car is the new daily driver, the gas car is an old daily driver, but the stick is an old work truck that’s been around for probably over 40 years since its basic (you see pavement when you open the hood). Even if the old cars with sticks get replaced, construction equipment and machinery may always benefit from simple gas engines… even if that’s not ideal for the environment.

Arnt• 5 days ago

You can heat with coal if you search long enough, too. There might not be a retailer around the corner from wherever you are, but the number of coal retailers isn't zero.

VaderAi• 5 days ago

yet in the european market manuals are still requested like italy. Driving now for younger generation has no concept of changing gears to slow a vehicle down with majority of vehicles now automatic.

The death of the stick shift is almost here

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