'Thanks, Hyundai' — Porsche's virtual-gear video sparks unexpected praise for Korean rival

A Porsche promotional video introducing a new driving technology for its electric vehicles has unexpectedly turned the spotlight on Hyundai Motor. After Porsche unveiled a "virtual gear-shift" feature that replicates the feel of changing gears in a combustion-engine car, overseas viewers flooded the comments section with praise for Hyundai, repeatedly citing the Ioniq 5 N as the vehicle that "paved the way."

According to industry sources, Porsche introduced the virtual gear-shift technology — called E-Shift — applied to the new Taycan through its official YouTube channel in June.

E-Shift artificially simulates the jolt and engine sound of an eight-speed transmission in an electric vehicle that has no multi-speed gearbox.

What stands out is that Hyundai Motor's name appears more frequently than Porsche's in the video's comment section. Hyundai had already brought virtual gear-shifting and virtual sound to a mass-production car through the Ioniq 5 N, and when Porsche released a similar driving-feel technology, the Ioniq 5 N found itself back in the spotlight.

Porsche spokesperson Ben Weinberger told media in May that he found Hyundai Motor's virtual gear-shift technology "very interesting," adding: "Honestly, Hyundai did a really great job."

Hyundai Motor first unveiled the Ioniq 5 N at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in Britain in July 2023, debuting both N e-Shift and N Active Sound+ at the same time. The model went on sale in South Korea in September of that year — roughly two years before Porsche publicly revealed its equivalent technology.

One comment that received more than 300 likes read: "Thanks to Hyundai for paving the way." Another user wrote that the Ioniq 5 N "set a new standard for high-performance electric vehicles."

Other reactions included: "It's amazing and something to be proud of that Hyundai inspired Porsche," and "I can't believe Hyundai has become a trendsetter that other brands are now copying." Some users went further, claiming that Porsche and other supercar manufacturers had purchased the Ioniq 5 N to study its technology.

Porsche is not the only automaker to have embraced virtual gear-shift technology.

Lexus applied a virtual gear-shift system called Interactive Manual Drive to its electric SUV, the LZ, unveiled in May last year. Mercedes-AMG also incorporated its AMG-Force Sport+ system into the high-performance AMG GT 4-Door Coupe electric vehicle revealed in May this year, combining virtual gear shifts with V8 engine sounds and seat vibration.

Electric vehicles do not structurally require multi-speed transmissions. Electric motors deliver high torque even at low revs and do not need to shift gears continuously within a narrow RPM band the way combustion engines do.

Even so, automakers are investing in "virtual gears" to preserve the sense of driving pleasure in the electrification era — ensuring that the emotional dimension of driving is not lost as powertrains change.

Hyundai Motor's N e-Shift was an early example of this trend applied to a mass-production vehicle. Through motor control, it simulates not only the jolt of a gear change but also the engine braking that varies by gear and the engine's behavior at idle. The instrument cluster displays a virtual RPM readout and gear position.

The character of the virtual gear shifts also changes with the driving mode. Normal mode delivers relatively smooth transitions, while Sport mode replicates the feel of a sports car equipped with a dual-clutch transmission. N mode provides shift responses closer to those of a race car running a sequential gearbox.

N Active Sound+ generates virtual engine sounds matched to driving conditions based on the vehicle's RPM, speed and torque. Eight interior speakers, along with front and rear exterior speakers, allow both the driver and bystanders outside the car to hear the simulated engine note.

"As electric vehicle performance converges at a high level, what matters now is not how fast a car goes but how it delivers driving fun," an industry official said. "The fact that the virtual gear-shift and sound technology that the Ioniq 5 N pioneered is spreading to traditional high-performance brands like Porsche means Hyundai Motor's approach is becoming an industry benchmark."