Tires were developed with lower rolling resistance.
All of these changes meant manufacturers could build fuel-saving behavior directly into the vehicle rather than asking the driver to select a separate economy position
But the basic idea behind the old “E” never really disappeared.
Today, many vehicles offer an Eco mode.
Pressing an Eco button can change throttle sensitivity, transmission shift points, air-conditioning behavior, and other systems to reduce energy consumption.
Some cars perform many of these adjustments automatically without the driver noticing.
In other words, the same goal that once required moving a mechanical gear lever can now be handled silently by software.
The meaning of the letter “E” has also changed dramatically with the rise of electric vehicles.
