The Electrek Uncar had a 4 speed manual transmission. For… some reason. So yes you can free rev it.
Not a lot of information out there https://www.autoevolution.com/news/electrek-uncar-is-a-frankenstein-ev-from-1979-100-zero-emission-ride-165880.html https://youtu.be/FyZd4_2unFM
I think manual transmission is fun, and it keeps me more engaged when driving. Can’t say the same about manual choke, ignition, etc. I don’t dislike a good automatic transmission either. It’s just my personal preference