Do Electric Cars Offer 'Fake Shifting, Real Fun'?

The Verge is applauding Hyundai's electric SUV, the IONIQ 5 for 'Fake shifting, real fun.' And others agree. 'The Ioniq 5 N is also special for how it simulates the 'feel' of gear shifting,' writes the blog Inside EVs, 'including the jolt and brief interruption in power that happens and the mechanical resistance that's normal upon downshifting.

'The Ioniq 5 N also simulates engine sounds through the speakers, will let you rev the 'engine' while parked and has a 'redline' you'll hit before you need to shift again. It's all great fun.'

[E]very single person who drives the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, whether they're a die-hard EV person or the most hardcore electro-skeptic, absolutely loves it. And they love the fake shifting most of all... Shut up and embrace the fake EV shifting, you nerds. Find some joy in your life for once.

And joy will definitely be on order with the new 2025 Kia EV6 GT. The U.S.-spec version of Kia's updated crossover made its debut [November 21] at the L.A. Auto Show. And while there's still a lot we don't know about it, we have power specs and one key detail: the EV6 GT now gets a simulated gear shift feature. 'The GT's new Virtual Gear Shift feature enhances driving immersion by simulating gear shifts with visuals, engine sound effects, and a tactile sensation through motor torque adjustments,' Kia officials said in a news release.

The Verge points out that Hyundai's Ioniq 5 N even uses speakers — both inside the car and outside — to broadcast the sounds of ignition, a boosted EV sound, and a third sound which 'sounds like a robotic version of a fighter jet.'
Paired with the seemingly endless power and torque offered by the electric motors, I couldn't stop grinning. It's just like a little kid making car noises as they push a Hot Wheels car around a track, but combined with the driving experience in the Ioniq 5 N, it just taps into a pure enthusiast joy. Even kids around my neighborhood stopped and looked when I started the Ioniq 5 N up with the sound management turned on. They'd pull out their phones to take photos and videos as I drove off, happily faking the internal combustion engine experience and knowing I wasn't adding a drop of carbon to the atmosphere.

The Ioniq 5 N just might be the performance EV that will change self-described 'auto enthusiast' minds about the electric transition. It's that good.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.