Maserati built and patented a fake gearbox for its cancelled electric MC20

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The fake shifter was going to be used in the since-canceled electric MC20.

Maserati says it developed and patented technology for its digital shifter.

Maserati’s engineering boss says the GranTurismo Folgore won’t get fake shifts.

A growing number of automakers are eager to transfer the joy of driving an internal combustion-powered car into their new EVs , adding fake sounds, simulated gearshifts, and, in the future, possible vibrations , too. Maserati has revealed that it has experience with synthesizing a gearbox into its EVs.

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While it was Hyundai’s N division that first brought fake gears into an EV, creating a more engaging driving experience with its Ioniq 5 N, other companies, including Mercedes-AMG , Porsche, and Ferrari, have followed suit. Maserati engineering boss Davide Danesin says the Italian brand also developed and patented its own artificial transmission, but has yet to actually launch such a system.

Read: Porsche Gave The 2027 Taycan Eight Fake Gears, On Top Of The Two Real Ones

“I would consider artificial gearboxes for some applications [when] it can improve the driving experience … we have some prototypes of it in-house. Actually, we have also delivered some patents,” Danesin revealed to CarSales.com.au . “We found out that improving the experience and controllability of the car [was] a functional advantage.”

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He added that Maserati initially developed the system for an all-electric version of the MC20 . However, after sensing they’d be little demand for such a model, Maserati scrapped it in early 2025.

No Shifting For The GranTurismo

Danesin didn’t provide in-depth details about the system Maserati developed, or if it’s more similar to what Ferrari offers with the Luce. In the electric Ferrari, the Torque Index function uses the paddles to increase or decrease the amount of torque available and doesn’t include an artificial rev-limiter.

We’re unlikely to see an EV from Maserati launch with any kind of simulated transmission in the near future. Danesin said that such a system would not suit a car like the GranTurismo Folgore, noting it is “much more [about] driving comfortably at high speed on the motorway.”

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