DD learning to drive - EV or petrol automatic?

[Sausagescanfly]

I need to get a new (to me) car that DD will be able to practise driving in while she learns. She will also get lessons, I assume in a petrol automatic. Has anyone been in this position and got themselves an EV? I'm trying to work out whether switching between an instructor's petrol and my EV would be a problem and I actually need to also get a petrol car. Thanks

DD’s instructor had an EV whilst we have an automatic petrol - it was never an issue for DD, although learning in the EV did spoil her a bit as she much preferred it!! Nearly 3 years on and she does however regret not learning manual

no massive difference, should just be mindful of regenerative braking on EV.

I agree that unless she's planning to drive random cars for living, no need to waste time on manual. I have a regular license but not driven any manuals for many years and am not planning to either. Haven't encountered a country yet where they don't have automatics available for rent, guess somewhere so exotic I would probably not want to drive myself anyway.

I have an EV and my mum has a petrol auto that I’m insured on and drive periodically, I don’t think it would be an issue to learn in one and practice in the other - or certainly not any different two two different manual cars (where the bite point/gears/brakes can feel different). DH also has an EV which is slightly different to drive to mine.

The key difference is the one pedal driving in the EV, when DD learns to drive later this year I will turn that off until she’s ok switching between the two.

I’m like you, there’s no way I’m buying a manual car just so DD can learn in one one - I haven’t driven one for years, doubt I ever will again. If she learnt in a manual she wouldn’t drive one again for years (as she won’t have her own car anytime soon) so would probably struggle to do it!

We have automatic hybrid cars and won’t be buying a manual for DS to learn in. However I’ve done quite a bit of research and lots of people say best to have lessons in a manual as insurance will be cheaper with a manual license. However everything I’ve read says that it’s fairly easy to have lessons in a manual and still practice in your parents automatic. Only a small part of learning to drive is the gears etc and most of it is getting experience of making decisions on the road (e.g. pulling out at junctions, roundabouts etc). People just seem to suggest avoiding the automatic car for a few weeks before the test.

If you learn on a manual you can easily drive an automatic, it's child's play. If you learn on an automatic, you would struggle to drive a manual. I think you're doing her a diservice op. You don't need to have a manual. She can use the instructors car.

I notice the difference between my EV and DH's petrol automatic. My EV is much more responsive when I pull out at junctions, it accelerates better at low speeds, whereas his car accelerates best between 40 and 60. My car has one pedal driving, which can be switched off. It's hard to tell what is just them being different models and what is EV/petrol difference. I'm also fine switching between them as an experienced driver, so I'm asking about the experience of learners.

We insisted ours learned manual, much to their annoyance. I would not let them drive an EV. We have one and the rapid acceleration is a little too tempting for a teenager imo.

I think that driving a lot with my parents was key in not needing many lessons and passing first time within a few months of starting learning. DH took about 2 years longer than me to learn, primarily because he didn't get the hours of practice.

I think that situations where you need a manual licence are few enough to really make minimal difference. We also wouldn't have a manual car for her to drive after passing her test, so she'd lose the skills pretty quickly.

No, it doesn't. But I would consider her doing driving lessons with an instructor in a manual.

DDs are learning to drive. They have EVs and learn in a petrol auto. The only difference is that they have to remember that the driving instructor's car is a bit more gutsy than theirs, and that they have to brake more actively in his car than theirs because their cars have regenerative braking that kicks in when they lift their feet off the accelerator.

“loads of other countries don't offer automatic cars - and definitely not EVs”

Yes, and that's true, it's not possible to hire EVs in lots of countries, which makes sense if the infrastructure isn't there to support them.

But nobody learns to drive an EV. They learn to drive either a manual transmission or an automatic transition, and it just so happens that electrically powered vehicles are always automatic.

I appreciate it wasn’t the question but even in 2026 I wouldn’t restrict only being able to drive an automatic. It’s unnecessarily limiting.

DD learned and passed test in petrol auto for various reasons. It was a means to an end and if she feels so inclined can have some manual lessons and take another test. Hiring cars under 25 is either ridiculously expensive or impossible so that tiny possibility of being disadvantaged by an auto pass really is a non issue for us right now.

DH & I were given an EV in the states and I refused to drive it. 0-62 in 4.9 seconds is ridiculous quick. I’m a confident driver who’s lived and driven all over the world. I worry older drivers who have the funds to buy them are being sold EV’s when they have no experience of driving cars so quick. I would not put an inexperienced driver in an EV.

Check the insurance, it’s really cheap to buy learners insurance but the costs and options massively change once passing. It’s hard to get a price out of an insurance company for hypothetical when they pass quotes, maybe try someone who offers a hybrid policy so nothing changes when they pass and get a quote in their name with you as a named driver. It might give an indication of costs further down the line.

Actually where i am auto lessons are more expensive. Like i say glad it worked for you. I just said most people are not talking rubbish. No need to be so aggressive!

I have just given back my auto EV at the end of its lease to buy a 5yo petrol manual for DS to learn in, if you pass in a manual you can drive either. Not so the other way.

Just bought a second hand automatic petrol car albeit only 2 yrs old but there was plenty choice

But that's not actually true. Automatics have a system in them that means the car automatically changes gear when it needs to. Depending on how good that is depends on how well they accelerate, some have sports modes that make them more responsive.

EV's have no gears, just a motor. So no system needed to change gear, it's why they are more responsive. They go like rockets, which is why the insurance is more expensive and I would be really reluctant to let DC learn to drive on one.

Calling them automics is really not correct, they just don't need a gear system at all. Which is why you also get the one peddle option on some EV'S as you can get away with just one peddle.

Although my EV is older and doesn't have that feature, I still have to press the break peddle. But again that doesn't work like a regular car either as the regeneration breaking kicks in first. My car has never need new disks or pads as they hardly get used and its 9 years old.