Aston Martin is open to Hyundai N-style fake EV sounds and gearshifts

Taking A Page From Hyundai?

After years of delays and altered plans, Aston Martin plans to finally launch its first electric vehicle by the end of the decade. Now the automaker is considering how to make an EV as engaging as its gasoline cars, and in a recent interview, one of its top executives hinted that it might take a page from Hyundai’s playbook.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N features simulated gearshifts and an artificial soundtrack keyed to the car’s acceleration. If done right, those are things Aston is open to using in future EVs, chief creative officer Marek Reichman said in an interview with CarBuzz during Monterey Car Week.

Maximizing Emotion

“If it is a benefit to the driving performance capability of our cars, and therefore it is authentic and real, and we can use a system that allows the driver to have more emotion about driving, then yes,” Reichman said, emphasizing that the “authentic and real” component of such features was key, and that a connection to Aston’s motorsports endeavors would also be a priority.

“If it is something that is purely artificial, then no,” he said. “Because an Aston Martin is true; it’s authentic. There are only a few companies in the world of Formula One that sell road cars. We have a massive advantage. Imagine the knowledge, the data we’re gathering and how we can use it to make a road car more exciting. Whether it’s gears or some way of using torque vectoring to generate engagement, we are fully embedded to an exciting driving experience.”

First EV On The Way, But Gas Engines Will Stick Around

Aston is expected to launch its first EV by the end of the decade, with additional models arriving after that. But instead of F1, the main technological influence will come from EV specialist Lucid. Under a partnership between the two companies announced in 2023, Aston will use batteries, drive units, and powertrain control units from the Californian carmaker.

Expect internal-combustion engines to remain the main focus at Aston, though. The plug-in hybrid powertrain used in the mid-engine Aston Martin Valhalla supercar will likely serve as a template for re-powerings of other Aston models as the automaker works to keep its V8 and V12 engines around amid tightening emissions standards. CEO Adrian Hallmark said earlier this year that Aston wants to keep its V12 until at least 2030.