The Mystery of the “E” Gear …The Forgotten Car Feature That’s Confusing a New Generation
I’ll never forget the first time I noticed it.
A friend and I were cleaning out his late father’s garage when we uncovered an old 1980s sedan hidden beneath years of dust. The car looked like a time capsule — faded upholstery, an analog radio, chrome trim, and the unmistakable smell of old leather and gasoline.
But one thing caught my attention immediately.
Right there on the gear selector, alongside the familiar letters “P,” “R,” “N,” and “D,” sat a mysterious extra letter:
E.
I stared at it for a moment. “Electric?” I guessed. “Emergency mode?” my friend suggested. Neither of us had any idea.
After several minutes of confused debate, I finally searched it online — and the answer opened the door to a fascinating piece of automotive history that many younger drivers have never heard about.
The mysterious “E” stood for Economy Mode.
And once you understand why it existed, you’ll realize it was actually decades ahead of its time.
What Did the “E” Gear Actually Do?
Back before cars had touchscreens, drive modes, and smart fuel-saving computers, automakers were already searching for ways to improve fuel efficiency.
The “E” gear was one of those early solutions.
When drivers selected “E” for Economy mode, the transmission changed how the car shifted gears. Instead of allowing the engine to rev high before shifting, the transmission shifted earlier at lower RPMs.
The result?
Better fuel economy
Lower engine strain
Smoother highway cruising
But there was a trade-off.
Cars in “E” mode often felt slower and less responsive. Acceleration became more sluggish because the car prioritized saving fuel over performance.
In many ways, it was the mechanical ancestor of today’s Eco Mode buttons found in modern vehicles.
Continued on next page
