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Turns out Porsche didn’t just learn a lot from benchmarking the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N—it liked what it learned, and will be applying those lessons to its own electric vehicles. The Drive can now report that Porsche will adopt one of the 5 N’s standout features and add fake gear shifts to its EV models, starting with the 2027 Taycan arriving late next year.
According to our anonymous source, Porsche broke the news to dealer principals in November in Atlanta, adding that Porsche dealership trainers have been informed in an effort to prep sales teams for when the cars hit their lots in the second half of 2026. Orders for the 2027 Taycan equipped with the so-called “virtual transmission” are expected to open next August.
We expect the you’ll be able to turn the function on and off at will. Perhaps most significant, our source shared that the fake gear shifts won’t be made available to 2026 and older Taycans via a software update, as they lack the physical paddle shifters behind the steering wheel. Porsche declined to comment directly on the news, but its response didn’t exactly deny it, either.
Hyundai, Porsche
“Porsche continuously tests and evaluates potential new technologies as part of its research and development process,” a spokesperson told us. “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.”
Note the phrase “virtual transmission.” That’s Porsche’s language, not ours, and it’s the first time we’ve heard Porsche use it. So, what are the odds that’s the actual branding it’ll get? Certainly sounds better than “fake shifts,” even if PVT is a little too close to CVT for comfort. Can we suggest V-PDK? Or perhaps what Alex Roy came up with when he predicted this very development over nine years ago in a column on this site: Porsche KünstlichSchaltgetriebe (PKS), or Porsche Synthetic Gearbox.
Back in August, we reported that Porsche had built a working EV prototype with simulated shift points, with final calibration done by engineers in the company’s famed dual-clutch and automatic transmission teams. One of Porsche’s prototype fleet managers told us that the automaker was investigating the concept after receiving feedback from test drivers that it could help make the performance driving experience in EVs feel more “natural.”
“I wanted to hate it because it’s artificial and it’s fake and everything. I was afraid that the people that are doing it are just software geeks who have no idea how a transmission works and try to emulate it,” he said. “[But] they know what they’re doing. They were able to make it feel like a proper torque converter gearbox. I could not tell the difference.”
For reference, here’s a video showing how it works in the Hyundai:
It’s unclear if the upcoming Cayenne Electric or the Macan Electric will adopt a virtual transmission, as neither car currently has paddle shifters today. Though, it’s reasonable to think both will receive an interior update at some point that unlocks the tech. We’d also bet a lot of money on the upcoming electric Cayman getting it, too.
The addition of paddle shifters for the virtual transmission in the 2027 Taycan will also come with a big update to the PCM (Porsche Communication Management ) infotainment system. The Taycan is unlikely to receive a curved touchscreen like the 2026 Cayenne Electric, but the updated PCM is expected to adopt elements from the new SUV’s interface.
The Taycan debuted in 2019, went on sale in 2020, and was refreshed with more power and range for 2025. Keep an eye out for Porsche’s formal announcement on EV gear shifts sometime next year.
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As Director of Content and Product, Joel draws on over 15 years of newsroom experience and inability to actually stop working to help ensure The Drive shapes the future of automotive media. He’s also a World Car Award juror.
