Porsche is adding fake gear shifts to all of its EVs starting in 2027
Published on Dec 05, 2025 at 9:41 AM (UTC+4)
by Claire Reid
Last updated on Dec 05, 2025 at 9:42 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Claire Reid
For those who love the feel of a manual vehicle, the thought of an electric car can be off-putting, but now it seems Porsche may be considering a solution.
EV technology has come a long way in recent years, with improvements to batteries, charging stations, and range, making the switch from ICE-powered cars to an all-electric easier than ever.
However, there’s one area where EVs can’t compete: providing that real gearbox feeling when driving.
But it seems that new technology might even have an answer for that.
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Porsche could be adding a ‘virtual transmission’ to its EVs
While some carmakers have been slow to adopt electrification, Porsche released their first electric car – the Taycan – back in 2019, and has since confirmed it’ll be adding another all-electric to the lineup with the upcoming fourth generation Cayenne.
In the past, the German carmaker had said EVs stood on their own merit and didn’t need simulated transmission.
But in August it seemed as though it had a change of heart, with Porsche revealing that it built an unusual Cayenne EV prototype – one with a fake transmission that replicated gear shifts and even had engine sounds.
The team behind the tech wanted to make the virtual gear shift system so similar to the real deal that drivers wouldn’t be able to tell it apart.
Porsche even used actual recordings from the V8-powered Cayenne model to make sure it sounded spot on.
And it seems as though the fake transmission was a hit.
According to The Drive, Porsche is now poised to introduce its virtual transmission into its electric cars, starting with the 2027 Taycan.
The report goes on to say that a source had revealed to the publication that some dealer princpals had already been told about the new teachnoly so they can prepare their sale teams in advance.
As yet, Porsche hasn’t confirmed the claims made in the report, but didn’t deny them either.
“Porsche continuously tests and evaluates potential new technologies as part of its research and development process,” a spokesperson told the publication.
“If and when these technologies may or may not be brought to market is decided based on the insights gained from these exploratory tests.
“The same applies to consideration of a potential virtual transmission in the future.”
It wouldn’t be the first carmaker to fake it
If the rumors are confirmed, Porsche won’t be the first company to use clever tech to make EVs feel more like gas-powered cars.
Hyundai introduced a similar set up with the Ioniq 5, which comes complete with fake engine noise and an eight-speed gearbox so realistic they can fool just about anyone.
Similarly, the Ford Mustang Mach-E EV was launched with special ‘audio wizardry’ that makes it sound just like its gas-guzzling cousin.
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Claire Reid is a journalist who hails from the UK but is now living in New Zealand. She began her career after graduating with a degree in Journalism from Liverpool John Moore’s University and has more than a decade of experience, writing for both local newspapers and national news sites. Claire covers a wide variety of topics, with a special focus on cars, technology, planes, cryptocurrency, and luxury.
