Can you drive all electric cars with an automatic transmission license?
This page is translated from the original post "Peut-on conduire toutes les voitures électriques avec un permis boite automatique ?" in French.
- 02/06/2025 13:42
If the handling of the gear lever and clutch scares you, don’t panic. There is a license made for you, and it’s not discounted.
In France, there is a special type of driving license called the automatic gearbox license or BEA. It allows you to drive only cars without a manual gearbox.
The BEA license was introduced in 1997, but it became more popular starting in the 2010s, notably due to the rise of automatic cars. But today, what about electric cars? Good news, almost all electric cars are compatible with this license!
Why? Because an electric car doesn’t need a manual gearbox. Thanks to the instantaneous torque from the electric motor, it doesn’t need to adjust the engine speed to that of the car. This means it has no clutch and no traditional gear lever. You press the accelerator, and the car moves forward, simple as that. The few very exotic exceptions are Retrofit models still equipped with their manual gearbox or cars that fall outside standard categories due to their weight or dimensions.
From the small Renault Twingo E-Tech to the formidable Rimac Nevera, passing through the Tesla Model 3 Performance, a BEA allows you to take the wheel with no power limit. The advantage is a shorter training period since it requires a minimum of 13 hours of driving, compared to 20 hours for the standard B license. However, be careful. Electrified does not mean electric, and hybrid vehicles with a manual gearbox are not allowed.
Can you change licenses later?
Yes! If one day you wish to drive cars with a manual gearbox, you can take a short 7-hour training course, without having to retake the exam. You just need to wait 6 months after obtaining the BEA to take this training.
The automatic gearbox license is thus a simple and quick solution for driving an electric car. It is ideal for beginners or those who want to avoid the difficulties of a manual gearbox. And since all electric cars are automatic, you can enjoy them fully!
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