Hyundai brings fake gear shifts and engine sounds to regular EVs
Hyundai expands its fake gear shift and engine sound technology to non-performance EVs, aiming to add driving emotion that critics say silent cars lack.
Hyundai wants to change how people perceive electric vehicles by bringing back the sensations of classic cars. The company confirmed that technology simulating gear shifts and engine sounds will appear not only in sporty versions but also in regular models. This matters because EVs are often criticized for lacking driving emotion.
The core of the technology lies in the N e-Shift and N Active Sound+ systems. They create the effect of a transmission and internal combustion engine in action. The driver feels shifts, power delays, and even characteristic sounds. It already works on the IONIQ 5 N and IONIQ 6 N, and now the technology is being tested on more mainstream vehicles, including the new IONIQ 9.
EVs by nature lack mechanical feedback. Hyundai is trying to compensate with digital effects. For the driver, this means more intuitive and engaging control, especially for those switching from gasoline cars. The function can be turned off—it's not a required gimmick.
In the market, this signals a new trend: automakers are starting to program emotions into EVs. And the technology will be available not only in top trims but also in mid-level versions, provided they have enough power. It could become an important deciding factor, especially for buyers not yet ready to go fully silent.
Hyundai is betting on sensations rather than just power—and that might reshape how we see EVs in the coming years.