One of the greatest obstacles to EV adoption by car enthusiasts is a supposed lack of driver involvement. Electric motors, for example, lack the vibrations, sound, and elastic power delivery of internal-combustion engines, which makes them objectively better but somewhat sterile-feeling. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is one of the first EVs to court the hooning crowd thanks to its simulated engine revs, but according to a recently unearthed patent filing from 2023, Ford is considering taking the fake-shifter strategy one step further by actually equipping future EVs (including a potential electric Mustang) with an H-pattern “gear” lever sprouting from the center console.
- Engine
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2.3L Turbo Inline-4 Gas, 5.0L Ti-VCT V8
- Horsepower
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315-500 hp
- Torque
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350-418 lb-ft
- Transmission
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10-speed shiftable automatic, 6-speed manual
- 0-60 MPH
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4.1-5.2 seconds
- Top Speed
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155-166 mph
The Joystick Will Provide Haptic Feedback
The patent describes a shifter mechanism for an electric vehicle that deploys on demand, rising along with its own pedestal from between the front seats. The lever will move through predetermined “manual shift” gates, which will send data to the car’s myriad controllers to engage the driver in the experience a little bit more. That means that, like the aforementioned Ioniq 5 N, the car might alter its acceleration profile to better simulate the power curve of an internal-combustion car, launching and pulling harder in lower “gears” with speed tapering off the faster it goes.
Unlike the Hyundai’s flappy-paddle fake transmission, the shifter described in the patent will have haptic feedback, meaning it might shake or buzz at idle to imitate the lope of a big ol’ V8 instead of the glassy-smooth operation of an EV. It seems likely that if that’s the case, the mysterious future Ford EV will also get simulated engine noises – today’s Mustang Mach-E offers an Unbridled propulsion sound that kinda does an impression of a V8 burble piped into an electronic piano, but for such a system to work with a gearshift, the pitch would need to rise and fall with lever operation, not vehicle speed.
The Jury’s Out If Such Things Are Dumb Or Cool
In the case of the Ioniq 5 N, the varying driving modes actually make it pretty hilarious to drive – despite a recall (and a reported problem with the recall) requiring a software update to fix a problem with the car’s track-only trail braking function. That said, while drifting around a corner with the tail swung out wide is undeniably fun, it’s not as fast as a less dramatic cornering line. Hyundai thought of this, making the Ioniq 5 N very composed when it needs to be and hilariously silly fun when the driver turns on the shifter, engine sounds, and drift modes.
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Ford’s patent takes a similar approach. The shifter is deployable, which suggests that when it’s stowed away along with its pedestal, the car will operate like a conventional EV. That means seamless acceleration and efficient use of electrons to get the car moving. Whether the shifter makes it to production is in question, as is the vehicle application it’d find its way to. The Mustang Mach-E is an obvious candidate – perhaps a Dark Horse–ified version of the top-spec GT trim. It’s also possible that the Blue Oval will build a fully electric Mustang coupe, which would go toe to toe with the likes of the Dodge Charger Daytona as one of precious few two-door, non-crossover EVs on the market.
Source: Free Patents Online via The Drive
