Taycan's New Virtual Gear System
Porsche Unveils 2027 Taycan Updates, Introducing E-Shift System, Native NACS, and Tech Overhaul
Key Points
Porsche overhauled the Taycan’s infotainment for the 2027 model year with a new “Porsche DI” (Digital Interaction) system, and the company says the newest PCM delivers up to “five times the processing power” of the previous unit.
For MY2027, Porsche made the larger battery the standard fit: every Taycan now gets the $5,780 Performance Battery Plus, providing 97.0 kWh of usable capacity (up from 83.7 kWh). The lineup changes also raise the base price to $114,250 (from $108,050 for the 2026 model).
In the UK, Porsche prices E-Shift at £750 on all Taycans except the Turbo GT (which gets it as standard). However, buyers must also add mandatory options: Sport Chrono Package (£1,838), Porsche Electric Sport Sound (£389), and either Bose (£1,093) or Burmester (£4,661)—meaning E-Shift can cost at least about £4,000 more than a “no-boxes-ticked” car.
Porsche’s updated Electric Sport Sound isn’t just derivative-specific: it “adapts to the accelerator and brake pedals,” changing the sound “inside and outside the car in real time.” Porsche also says the audio tuning changes depending on which Taycan model the buyer owns.
E-Shift activation and the virtual rev UI include a dedicated control and specific calibration: an additional drive-mode toggle uses a blue button marked “E-Shift,” which brings up a central rev counter with a roughly “7,300rpm ‘red line’.”
Porsche has announced the 2027 Taycan will arrive with E-Shift, a simulated eight-gear system using steering-wheel paddles to mimic the feel of a traditional gearbox — making it one of the first premium automakers to deliberately interrupt power delivery in an EV. The update also adds a native NACS port, letting North American drivers plug directly into Tesla Superchargers without an adapter, according to MotorTrend.
The changes come with a higher price tag. Porsche has made the larger 97.0 kWh Performance Battery Plus standard across the entire lineup, pushing the U.S. base price to $114,250 — up $6,200 from the 2026 model, KBB reports.
E-Shift Brings Eight Virtual Gears to an EV
E-Shift gives the Taycan eight simulated ratios controlled by paddle shifters. Drivers can leave it in automatic or take manual control. Each "gear" has its own drag torque — a calibrated resistance that mimics the engine braking feel of a combustion car. A virtual rev counter sits at the center of the display, with a redline set at 7,300 rpm, according to Top Speed.
A blue "E-Shift" button on the dashboard activates the mode. Porsche development driver Lars Kern says the system helps drivers "feel" their speed during corner entry without looking at the speedometer. The feature comes standard on the Turbo GT and is optional on other trims. Electric Cars Report notes that Porsche deliberately modeled the eight ratios after its own 8-speed PDK dual-clutch gearbox.
Sound Package Requirements Make E-Shift Cost Over £4,000 in UK
E-Shift is not a standalone option in the UK. Porsche prices the software at £750, but buyers must also add the Sport Chrono Package (£1,838), Porsche Electric Sport Sound (£389), and either a Bose (£1,093) or Burmester (£4,661) audio system. That pushes the minimum real-world cost of E-Shift to roughly £4,000 above a base car with no boxes ticked, according to Yahoo Autos.
Porsche ties E-Shift to premium sound hardware for a deliberate reason. The experience depends on coordinated synthetic audio that changes in real time with each simulated gear change, both inside and outside the car. Without the right speakers, the visual gear interface works but the acoustic layer — which Porsche says is tuned per Taycan derivative — is missing. Kevin Giek, Porsche's VP for the Taycan product line, described the goal as bridging "the gap between the surgical precision of an EV and the visceral feedback of our GT combustion cars."
Native NACS Port Ends Adapter Era for North American Owners
The 2027 Taycan is the first in the model line to feature a native NACS port on the fender. North American drivers can now plug directly into Tesla's Supercharger V4 network, which operates at up to 350 kW. Porsche retained the J1772 port for AC home charging and includes a CCS adapter in the box, MotorTrend confirms.
The switch removes a persistent friction point for Taycan owners. Over 17,000 Tesla Supercharger stations exist across North America. Analysts have noted that native NACS compatibility is likely to improve the Taycan's resale value compared to older CCS-only models, since charging anxiety has been a consistent complaint among prospective EV buyers.
Bigger Battery, More Power, and a New Infotainment Brain
Every 2027 Taycan now ships with the 97.0 kWh Performance Battery Plus as standard — up from 83.7 kWh on the previous base model. That pack was a $5,780 option before. Porsche says the larger battery improves range, and some rear-drive models get an additional efficiency boost from new summer tyres, according to Electric Cars Report.
Porsche also overhauled the infotainment with a new "Porsche DI" (Digital Interaction) system. The company says the new PCM delivers five times the processing power of the previous unit — a direct response to criticism that earlier screens lagged. KBB notes that Porsche quietly dropped the Cross Turismo wagon from the lineup with the 2027 update, leaving only the sedan and GTS Sport Turismo.
Sentiment
Mostly PositivePublishers
34
Articles
17
Reach
51
