Why are EV's listed as 'automatic'

[Ken_Code]

Dave. said:

There's more to an automatic than just changing gears.... There's the "automatic" transferring of power from the engine to the wheels via the torque converter Vs the "manual" clutch to start and stop.

My automatic doesn’t have a torque converter.

[WeirdNeville]

Put simply it's a legal definition tied to driver licencing, and it hinges on whether the car has a driver operated clutch or not.

That's why it feels 'legacy' but is still relevant. It will become less so as manual transmissions die out.

[Wills2]

Ken_Code said:

Dave. said:

There's more to an automatic than just changing gears.... There's the "automatic" transferring of power from the engine to the wheels via the torque converter Vs the "manual" clutch to start and stop.

My automatic doesn’t have a torque converter.

That's why the absence/presence of a manually operated clutch is the deciding factor on whether a car is registered as an auto or manual.