Electric vehicles have removed the need for traditional multi-speed transmissions, but that hasn’t stopped car brands from investing in technology that replicates the feel of a gear change.

Hyundai led the pack with the Ioniq 5 N, which offered a drive mode that could behave like an eight-speed dual-clutch auto, even though it used a single-speed reduction gear, and now brands like Honda and soon Porsche have followed suit.

But the next frontier in driver engagement looks set to be the manual transmission, with Hyundai filing patents for a gear lever that feels and operates just like a manual transmission, but acts on an electric drivetrain in a similar way to its N e-Shift technology.

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A recent patent filing with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), first reported by CarBuzz, reveals Hyundai has a detailed mechanism that would provide the mechanical action of a gated manual gear shifter.

That in itself doesn’t make for a wholly engaging manual simulation, however. To fully replicate the manual experience, a clutch pedal also forms part of the system, though neither the shifter nor the clutch pedal is physically connected to the driveline.

The system would instead allow drivers to switch between automatic mode for peak-hour crawls or with the family along for the ride, but switch to a fully manual-replicating experience on weekend escapes to more challenging roads.

As with the N e-Shift mode in the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N and Ioniq 6 N, software would define the feel and power delivery. It’s safe to speculate that the same between-gear power-delivery pauses and simulated redline capabilities could apply to the ‘manual’ version of the tech.

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While not explicitly specified for EVs, the manual shift mode could function as an evolution of Hyundai’s paddle-shift dual-clutch-aping N e-Shift mode. With a wider array of hybrid, plug-in hybrid and all-electric powertrains on the way from Hyundai, the technology could be a way for the Korean brand – particularly its high-performance N division – to unify the driving experience across models.

Hyundai’s patent is not the only one of its kind, however, with Toyota having filed a patent for a system of its own in 2022, with demonstration versions fitted to the Lexus UX300e EV. Ford has filed patents for a manual simulation for EVs, and Porsche has lodged designs for a transmission that can be switched from traditional automatic to H-pattern manual modes.

As with any patent, this latest filing doesn’t assure a production future, but with so many brands working on the technology, and Hyundai’s trend-setting history of simulated gear shifts, this could be a positive sign for manual enthusiasts.