Porsche's E-Shift System Is a Pretend GearboxPorscheInternal sentiment at Porsche was decidedly against creating a virtual gear-shift system for the brand's EVs. Simulating manual shifting in a vehicle directly driven by electric motors is, at the very least, a distraction from the pursuit of purity and raw speed. Back in 2022, Porsche development engineer and test driver Lars Kern said the brand had no use for such foolish engineering.But things change rapidly in this fast-moving part of the market, and for 2027, the Porsche Taycan will indeed feature a simulated gearbox with paddle shifters to swap between its imaginary ratios. Porsche has given the system the predictable, if unimaginative name of E-Shift, and the execution is pretty much as you would expect, with eight simulated gears and a rendered rev counter which appears when E-Shift mode is selected. For extra confusion, the system even has an automatic mode, which will shift through the gears independently while modeling the changes and differing torque characteristics of the synthesized engine at different points in its rev range.PorscheIf you're thinking this sounds very much like the system Hyundai pioneered in the Ioniq 5 N, then you're right. But from the driver's seat of the Taycan, it also feels very similar to driving any Porsche equipped with the PDK dual-clutch transmission. The simulated shift points were conservative, keeping the imitation engine under 3000 rpm, and piped-in EV sounds were minimal. It was so normal that it was wholeheartedly unremarkable.AdvertisementAdvertisementHowever, that is not the goal of the E-Shift system, which is intended to increase the Taycan's enthusiast appeal. Swapping to manual mode and engaging the Sport Plus mode turned it into a brain-fooling simulacrum of a gas-powered Porsche being worked through the gears.My test car in Germany was a 2027 Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo, the wagon-esque version that will no longer be sold in the U.S. But the driveline is the same as the one we will get in the regular Taycan, with the same brutally efficient launch-control system but now requiring manual selection of second "gear" for the best times. The manual mode includes a hard redline at the virtual engine's 7500-rpm redline and an unpleasant interruption of power if this is encountered—like hitting the limiter in a gasoline-powered car, bounding exhaust note included.PorscheWith manual mode engaged, shifting through the simulated set of eight gears felt natural. The shift points are engaged to match those of a traditional PDK, according to the vice president of Porsche's Taycan line, Kevin Giek. Shifts in Sport Plus are superfast, finishing the job before you even realize it has started. But Sport mode offers a discernible pause to delineate the different modes.Did it feel convincing? In large part, yes. Asking for a downshift that would take the pretend engine over its rev limit got categorically denied. Attempting to upshift to eighth gear at 25 mph? Denied again. And I can confirm that putting my foot flat to the floor in seventh gear at 40 mph produced no more acceleration than it would have in a true combustion version, while a low gear and high revs simulated drivetrain lash. Operating in the middle of the fake powerband delivered midrange torque and responses, while seeking the upper end unlocked a stronger kick.AdvertisementAdvertisementDownshifting the simulated transmission was where some of its deception appeared clearly. Clicking down through the gearbox provided a substantial rate of deceleration, but the system didn't exactly match its revs convincingly. Instead, it feels more like a series of computers deciding where a perfect downshift would place the engine speed and matching it precisely. Whether you're in manual or automatic mode, the downshift action is lacking in the high-engine-load factor associated with a properly blipped downshift. Plus, dropping into first gear on the move is suspiciously smooth.PorschePorsche is too late to this party to claim any great originality here: Hyundai's system has been available for more than two years, and we've also seen simulated gearshifts on other production cars, including the new Honda Prelude. Toyota has even created a prototype manual-shift EV, complete with a gearchange lever and clutch pedal, although it hasn't reached production yet.The problem with systems like E-Shift is always going to be the need to suspend disbelief to accept the fakery, however well accomplished. In raw performance terms, E-Shift makes the Taycan less perfect, being slower and more restrictive than the regular version, which brings the defining EV virtue of offering all the torque pretty much all of the time.But, on the basis of my first experience, E-Shift does satisfy a distinctly enthusiast desire, and I enjoyed working my way up and down the simulated transmission. Sure, it requires a willingness to accept the deception, but I found I quickly adapted to it.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe E-Shift system will be available as an extra on all Taycan models starting with the 2027 model year. Optioning the simulated shifting system requires a specific steering wheel to be installed, which explains its nearly $1100 price tag. Porsche has yet to say if the E-Shift system will be carried over to its other EVs—or, indeed, the EV replacement for the 718 Boxster and Cayman, which we still don't have a launch date for.You Might Also LikeIf You Can Only Own One Car, Make It One of TheseThese Are the Most Popular Cars by State
