Before modern cars became filled with digital screens and electronic driving modes, some automatic vehicles featured an unusual “E” position on the gear shifter alongside the familiar Park and Drive settings. In many cars from the 1980s and 1990s, “E” stood for Economy, a setting designed to help drivers use less fuel by changing how the transmission operated.

Selecting Economy mode encouraged the transmission to shift into higher gears earlier and keep engine speeds lower. This often resulted in quieter, smoother driving and could improve fuel efficiency under suitable conditions. Some systems also reduced aggressive acceleration and frequent downshifting, encouraging a more relaxed driving style.

Today, the dedicated “E” gear position has largely disappeared as modern engines and computer-controlled transmissions manage efficiency automatically. Many newer vehicles offer an Eco mode that adjusts throttle response, gear changes, air conditioning, and other systems to help reduce energy consumption. Instead of requiring drivers to select a special gear, these adjustments can happen electronically in the background.

Interestingly, the letter “E” has taken on additional meanings in the age of electric vehicles, where it may refer to electric propulsion, electronic controls, or features such as regenerative braking. That old gear-shifter marking represents an important step in automotive development: the technology has changed, but the goal of using energy more efficiently remains the same.