The Porsche Taycan electric car has received an unusual update: now its owners will be able to connect a virtual gearbox system that simulates the operation of a traditional sports car with an internal combustion engine.

The new function, called E-Shift, has appeared along with a number of other improvements, including an increase in the range and an upgrade of the multimedia system, reports Autocar.

The E-Shift system creates the effect of an eight-speed sequential gearbox. After activating it, a tachometer appears on the digital instrument cluster, and the “gears” can be “changed” with paddles under the GT sports steering wheel. According to Porsche, the driver will feel the characteristic jolts of gear changes and the effect of engine braking, as in the brand’s gasoline models.

To enhance realism, engineers have added artificial sound accompaniment. Moreover, the nature of the virtual engine and the algorithm of the “box” operation differ depending on the Taycan version. The system is included in the Sport Chrono package, and for the flagship Porsche Taycan Turbo GT with a capacity of 1094 horsepower it will be available by default. Interestingly, the idea of the virtual gearbox came not from the world of traditional sports cars, but from the South Korean manufacturer.

The first serial electric model with a similar system was the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. The car received high marks from experts for being able to return to electric cars some of the emotions and involvement inherent in classic sports cars. Andreas Preuninger, the boss of Porsche’s GT division, previously admitted that he was impressed by Hyundai’s solution.

According to him, it was the experience of driving the Ioniq 5 N that forced Porsche engineers to more actively discuss ways to increase the pleasure of driving electric cars. In addition to the virtual transmission, the company has offered new tires with reduced rolling resistance for the base rear-wheel drive version of the Taycan.

Thanks to this, the sedan’s range has increased by about 19 kilometers and now, according to the manufacturer, reaches 434 miles (about 698 kilometers). For the Sport Turismo version, the figure is up to 416 miles (about 669 kilometers). The update also affected the multimedia system.

The Taycan has the latest software, which is already used in the electric Macan models and future versions of the Cayenne. According to Porsche, the computing power of the system has increased five times compared to the previous version, which should provide faster interface operation, improved graphics, and instant response to driver actions.