Hyundai to bring virtual gearshifts to regular EVs
Hyundai plans to expand the N e-Shift system used in the Ioniq 5 N to non-N electric models. The software simulates gearchanges and engine sound to make the driving experience feel more emotional.
Hyundai will no longer keep virtual gearchanging exclusive to its N models. The company wants to use the same system in more powerful mainstream EVs, after the Ioniq 5 N showed that some drivers value a more mechanical feel in an electric car.
On the official Hyundai N page for the Ioniq 6 N, the carmaker describes the N e-Shift system as a precise gearchange simulation that manipulates motor torque and now uses closer, motorsport-inspired gear ratios. The same model also uses the N Active Sound+ system, which is intended to increase the driver’s emotional connection with the car.
Hyundai says the solution needs a sufficient power reserve. If a car is too weak, the simulated gearchanges do not feel convincing. As a result, N e-Shift is likely to reach primarily medium- and higher-output electric models, rather than entry-level versions.
Hyundai believes the way a car communicates with its driver is becoming increasingly important, and that a virtual gearbox and artificial sound offer a way to add character without making the mechanical drivetrain more complex.
