Being a fan of technology and a car enthusiast is difficult these days. From displays to ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems), cars are packed with more tech than ever before. While I enjoy touchscreens for navigation and infotainment, physical knobs and switches are always better than capacitive or on-screen controls for critical features like climate. Plus, the tech in many of today’s cars is unintuitive, unresponsive, and buggy.
EVs come with their own set of challenges. On the one hand, I really love EVs for their quick acceleration, instant torque, regen braking, lack of gears, but their higher weight makes them less nimble in the twisties. Some car enthusiasts also miss the sound, vibrations, and drama inherent to revving combustion engines and shifting gears, and while I don’t really mind, there’s no denying that EVs are generally less engaging to drive.
While I prefer driving a naturally aspirated combustion engine with a manual gearbox in the canyons, there’s no doubt in my mind that EVs make better daily drivers. But what if you could have your cake and eat it, too? What if EVs could bring more fun to the driving experience? Car manufacturers like Hyundai Motor Group and Mercedes-AMG are using clever software and hardware to do exactly that, so let’s find out how this works.
Hyundai’s fake DCT (Dual-Clutch Transmission)
I was recently invited to visit Hyundai Motor Group’s Metaplant America (HMGMA) in Savannah, GA, where Hyundai manufactures the IONIQ 5 and IONIQ 9 for North America. The factory tour and training center experience were both very interesting, and I was also given the opportunity to drive an IONIQ 9 on the facility’s test track, and hoon an IONIQ 5 XRT on a dusty rallycross course, among other things. Good times!
But what stood out the most on this trip is what the Hyundai team told me about making EVs more fun. Before I get into that, let’s dive into what Hyundai Motor Group currently offers. The IONIQ 5N is the performance version of Hyundai’s crossover EV. It receives Hyundai’s “N” treatment, with 601 hp, 545 lb-ft of torque, a 0-60 mph time of 3.2 sec, sport suspension, brakes, tires, and seats, plus a delightful boy-racer look inside and out.
This is a proper performance EV that costs about $67,500 and delivers the goods. It’s an absolute blast to drive, but what’s even more fun beyond the performance hardware, is what Hyundai’s done with the software. Switch into N e-shift mode, and this EV lets you use the paddles behind the steering wheel to simulate the gear shifts, torque-cut, and sounds of an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) in a combustion vehicle.
It might seem like a gimmick on paper, but once in the driver’s seat, Hyundai’s fake gears will put a massive smile on your face, guaranteed. And most importantly, it makes driving this EV a lot more fun and engaging. Paired with Hyundai’s N Active Sound+, which adds a fake soundtrack to the mix, the experience becomes surprisingly visceral and realistic. You even have the option to pipe the sound outside the car, for additional drama.
Hyundai isn’t trying to replicate the sound of a real combustion engine here. It’s a more futuristic, synthesized soundtrack (with three options to choose from). But what makes it so compelling are the little details, like the fake exhaust crackles and pops when downshifting and the burble at idle. There’s even a fake rev-limiter when you hit the “redline”. You might not use this mode every day, but it can bring giggles to a boring drive.
Going beyond the fake gears and fake sound, Hyundai’s also given the IONIQ 5N a feature called N Grin Boost (NGB), which is activated via a dedicated button on the steering wheel, and boosts the power output to 650 hp and 568 lb-ft of torque for up to 10-seconds, KERS-style. Since the launch of the IONIQ 5N, Hyundai has also given the IONIQ 6 the “N” treatment complete with N e-shift mode, N Active Sound+, NGB button.
But these fun EV features also extend to Hyundai Motor Group’s other brands and other performance EVs built on the group’s E-GMP architecture, like the 2025+ Kia EV6 GT, Kia EV9 GT, and Genesis’ upcoming GV60 Magma. The Kia EV9 GT in particular, stands out because it’s a three-row electric SUV, a quintessential family hauler, and it still gets Kia’s performance treatment, Virtual Gear Shift (VGS), and associated soundtrack.
Having driven the Kia EV9 GT myself, I can tell you that there’s something absolutely wonderful yet perversely hilarious about shifting fake gears in a performance three-row electric SUV. Buckle up, kids! Unfortunately, the Kia EV9 GT is only sold in Canada and the UK. It was supposed to land in the US (it even comes with a NACS port) but that was put on hold because of tariffs (the EV9 GT is manufactured in South Korea).
Back to my Metaplant visit, though. Considering how much fun I had driving the Kia EV9 GT in Canada, I asked the Hyundai team when the company would give the IONIQ 9 three-row electric SUV the “N” performance treatment, complete with fake gears and fake sound. Naturally, they wouldn’t comment, but they did tell me they were looking into adding fake gears and fake sound to existing, non-performance EVs in Hyundai’s lineup.
While the Hyundai team didn’t say whether this would only apply to upcoming models or would come to existing EVs via an optional software update, I think this would add an extra dose of fun to Hyundai Motor Group’s EV lineup. Plus, it wouldn’t require additional hardware since E-GMP cars already have paddles behind the steering wheel to adjust the amount of regen braking. So let’s hope Hyundai Motor Group makes this happen.
Mercedes-AMG’s fake V8
I recently attended the unveiling of the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe EV (a mouthful, I know) in Los Angeles. AMG is the performance division of Mercedes-Benz, and is known both for taking existing Mercedes-Benz cars and giving them the AMG performance treatment, and for creating bespoke high-performance models like the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG coupe and roadster, and the Mercedes-AMG GT 2-door and GT 4-Door Coupe.
The AMG performance treatment involves fitting proper sport suspension, brakes, tires, and seats to each car, alongside unique trim pieces inside and out, plus a hand-built combustion engine, traditionally a V8 (though in recent years, AMG models have also sported I4, I6, V12, hybrid, and PHEV powertrains). For the second-generation GT 4-Door Coupe, Mercedes-AMG is going all electric with a bespoke, high-performance battery EV.
Spec-wise the GT 4-Door Coupe EV is a beast: 1,153 hp, 1,475 lb-ft of torque, and a 0-60 mph of two seconds for the GT 63 4MATIC+ variant. It’s AWD and powered by three ultra-thin and light axial flux (“pancake”) motors — one in front, two in the back — fed by an 800V 106kWh silicon-carbon battery that can charge at up to 600kW (10-80% in eleven minutes). WLTP range is up to 696 km (432 mi), so the EPA range is likely to be 15-20% lower.
Mercedes-AMG hasn’t shared any details on pricing or availability yet, but if the combustion engine GT 4-Door Coupe is any indication, you’ll be looking at a six-figure base price for this new EV. So, how does Mercedes-AMG, a brand famous for a rich heritage of performance cars with a lovely V8 growl, transition its wealthy, loyal, but also particular customer base into the inevitable EV future? With fake gears and fake sound, naturally.
But the company can’t mess this up. A futuristic, synthesized soundtrack isn’t going to cut it for the fastest Mercedes-Benz ever, so the company set out to replicate the full experience of driving a V8-powered Mercedes-AMG car, from the gear shifts, to the sound, to the vibrations, even. To this end, the GT 4-Door Coupe EV features electric motors that vibrate the seats and speakers inside the headlights, for everyone to enjoy that fake V8 rumble.
While I didn’t get to experience the GT 4-Door Coupe EV’s fake V8 noise in person, you can hear it in this video (forward to 3:28). To achieve the desired result, 1,600 audio samples are mixed in real time to cover all the different driving situations, from idling, to accelerating, to upshifting, to downshifting (including the exhaust bangs and pops), to hitting the fake 7,000 rpm rev-limiter. It’s a pretty comprehensive approach to sound generation.
I used to develop sound engines for video games, so I’m eager to hear Mercedes-AMG’s fake V8 soundtrack in person. As for the fake gears, when switched to Sport+ mode, the GT 4-Door Coupe EV mimics a 9-speed transmission which can be shifted using paddles behind the steering wheel. This mode even includes a tachometer in the instrument cluster, and simulates the torque curve and powerband of a Mercedes-AMG V8.
Obviously, the GT 4-Door Coupe EV’s fake gears, fake sounds, and fake vibrations can be disabled. But, there’s a lot more to this bespoke, high-performance battery EV than replicating the drama of Mercedes-AMG’s traditional V8-powered experience. It also boasts a top speed of 300 km/h (186 mph), active aerodynamics, rear-wheel steering, and air suspension — all features designed to make this new EV a ton of fun to drive.
Bottom line
Between Hyundai Motor Group (hopefully) bringing the fake gears and fake sound from the Hyundai IONIQ 5N and Kia EV9 GT to a broader range of the group’s EVs, including more affordable models, and Mercedes-AMG replicating the drama of the company’s traditional V8-powered experience with its high-performance GT 4-Door Coupe EV, it’s clear that car manufacturers are trying to inject more fun into their EVs.
As a fan of technology and a car enthusiast, I believe this is a step in the right direction — especially if it brings more people into EVs. I’ve been driving electric for over a decade, and while I enjoy the silent, relentless acceleration and massive torque that electric motors deliver, and the control that one-pedal driving offers, I do find EVs less engaging to drive than cars with a naturally aspirated combustion engine and a manual gearbox.
Some of this comes down to EVs being heavier, quieter, and more sterile. Managing the additional weight of EVs is a challenge, but the lack of drama and engagement is something tech is already solving with fake gears and fake sound. Back in 2022/23, Lexus added a manual gear knob (H-pattern) and clutch pedal a UX300e mule to show how driving EVs could be just as much fun as driving combustion vehicles. Bring it on, Lexus!
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