1st and 5th are completely useless gears in this car.
1st gear spins up really fast and isn't needed, because you can pull away from a stop in either 2nd or third.
5th just doesn't have any power with the gear, weight, and voltage of this system.
An EV can be built with or without a clutch.
You even CAN build one with an automatic transmission if you really wanted.
Usually the flywheel would not be shaved down, but rather buy or build a custom version of what a shaved flywheel would be like.
Machining something like that is beyond my skills. Buying or having one made would have been a budget buster.
This car drives like a golf cart in 3rd gear. You can pull away from a stop and go up to a little over 35 mph without shifting, using a clutch, or have anything weird happen when you come to a stop.
Just to compare, here is a video response to my YouTube video from another EVer:
Looks like his shifts a lot nicer. He's also using Optima Yellow Tops, which I know you can pull a LOT of amps from!