What is MT in a car?

MT is the abbreviation of Manual Transmission, commonly known as "manual gear", which is a mechanical device that allows the driver to manually operate the clutch and gear shift lever to change the meshing position of gears for speed change. Its core principle is to adjust the transmission ratio using combinations of gears of different sizes: low gears amplify torque through large-diameter gears to facilitate starting, while high gears increase rotational speed via small gears to achieve fuel efficiency or acceleration. Manual transmissions are simple in structure, durable, and have lower maintenance costs. Their transmission efficiency is about 5%-15% higher than that of automatic transmissions, which can significantly reduce fuel consumption, making them particularly suitable for users who value driving control. Typical configurations include 5-speed or 6-speed gearboxes; the latter offers smoother gear shifts due to smaller gear ratio gaps, as well as better noise and fuel consumption performance during high-speed cruising. However, manual transmissions have higher requirements for driving skills. Currently, the maximum design in the civilian field is 7-speed. In recent years, some brands have introduced automated manual transmission technologies, such as the Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT), which retains the high efficiency of manual transmission while realizing automatic gear shifting.