Today’s Auto Brief: EVs Learn to “Shift,” a £100-a-Year Range Rover, Stellantis x Leapmotor Goes Global, and Momoa’s PHEV Harley

I love days like this—when the industry decides to be both wildly futuristic and stubbornly old-school at the same time. On one end, electric sports cars are relearning how to “shift.” On the other, someone claims a 1992 V8 Range Rover only costs them about a hundred quid a year to keep happy. Toss in Stellantis swinging open the gates for affordable Chinese EVs, and Jason Momoa cobbling together Harley-Davidson’s first plug-in hybrid motorcycle, and you’ve got a perfect Saturday brew of optimism, nostalgia, and a hint of mischief.

EV Sports Cars Are “Shifting” Again—and I’m Not Mad About It

Autocar dug into the rise of the virtual gearbox, and yes, it’s a thing now. If you haven’t tried it, here’s the gist: software remaps torque delivery so an EV mimics the cadence of a multi-speed transmission. You get faux upshifts, a bit of driveline thump, and even curated noises to match. It sounds daft until you drive one.

I sampled Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 N earlier this year with its N e-Shift. Flick the paddles and it snaps through eight “ratios” with a convincing swell and release of power; the rhythm slows you down just enough to make a favorite B-road feel like a dance again, not a light switch. Dodge is at it, too, with the Charger Daytona’s eRupt simulated shifting, complete with theatrical acoustics. Toyota and Lexus have shown manual-style EV prototypes with a clutch and shifter that map to torque steps—more theatre, sure, but the good kind.

Why fake gears at all?

• Engagement: A single-speed EV can feel overly smooth and samey. Shifts add tempo, which adds character.
• Feedback: The “lift and grab” cues help you judge grip and braking points when you’re pushing.
• Sound design: Well-tuned audio tells your inner ear what the car’s doing, which reduces that detached, near-silent vibe.
• Learning curve: For drivers migrating from ICE performance cars, it softens the transition.

Who’s doing what (at a glance)

Does it make an EV quicker? Usually not. But it does make fast driving easier to meter. When I tried the feature on a bumpy back road, the faux upshift gave me a natural breather before the next corner—like a conductor lifting the baton between notes. That counts for something.

Stellantis x Leapmotor: The Affordable EV Power Play

Autocar also dug into the Stellantis–Leapmotor tie-up, and the ripple effects are already visible. In plain English: Stellantis (think Peugeot, Fiat, Jeep, etc.) is using its global muscle to sell Leapmotor EVs outside China, quickly and at scale. The joint venture—markets first, manufacturing flexibility second—gives Stellantis shelves to stock with budget-friendly EVs while its own platforms climb the price ladder.

• Speed to market: Stellantis gets showroom-ready EVs now, not in three product cycles.
• Price pressure: Expect downward pressure in the €20k–€30k bracket where Europe’s been hurting for compelling EVs.
• Portfolio cover: Leapmotor fills gaps under the Stellantis umbrella, letting Peugeot and Fiat stay aspirational without abandoning entry buyers.
• Dealer buzz: A couple of European retailers told me they’re already fielding “when can I see one?” queries—always a good omen.

The question isn’t whether this changes the game. It’s how quickly everyone else responds. Volkswagen’s upcoming ID.2, Renault’s next wave of small EVs, and budget-adjacent brands like Dacia will feel the draft. And if Stellantis decides to localize assembly for some markets down the line, that’ll be another lever pulled on cost and logistics.

Can a 1992 V8 Range Rover Really Cost £100 a Year to Keep Alive?

One Autocar writer says yes, and I can see the path—even if it’s a narrow, muddy one with rust lurking under the hedgerow. The 1992 Range Rover Classic V8 (think 3.9 or 4.2-liter, simple injection, honest body-on-frame vibes) can be hilariously cheap to nurse along if:

• You buy the right truck: straight shell, sensible history, no terminal rot in the sills, tailgate, or inner arches.
• You wrench a bit: hoses, belts, ignition bits, and fluids are DIY-level and readily available.
• You avoid mission creep: don’t “while I’m here” your way into a full restoration.

When I borrowed a tidy Classic last winter, it shrugged off rough farm tracks that made a modern crossover feel precious. Parts? A starter and a set of plugs cost less than a fancy dinner for two. The flipside: cooling systems need love, electrics can go cottage-industry at the worst moment, and rust is the silent accountant in the room. Air suspension, if fitted, can add arithmetic you didn’t plan for—many cars have been converted to coils for exactly that reason.

Could you average £100 a year? If you do small jobs yourself, spread consumables over time, and the big scary failures never come knocking—yes, it’s plausible. Just don’t budget like that if you’re highway-commuting daily or you’re the sort who breaks out in hives at the word “patina.”

Jason Momoa’s First PHEV Harley: A Hollywood Hybrid You Didn’t See Coming

According to a Carscoops report, Jason Momoa has helped build Harley-Davidson’s first plug-in hybrid motorcycle—a one-off passion project that blends electric assist with the brand’s signature thump. The idea actually makes sense in city life: creep out of the driveway on electrons at 6 a.m., then let the engine chime in once you’re clear. Perfect for a coffee run in Venice or a canyon loop where you want both stealth and soul.

• Urban stealth, highway shove: electric torque fills in the bottom, engine keeps range anxiety away.
• Packaging is the trick: batteries, cooling, and weight have to disappear on a motorcycle or it stops feeling like a bike.
• Harley DNA intact: if it looks and sounds the part at speed, hybridization can be a feature, not a bug.

Will we see a production PHEV from Milwaukee? Too early to say. But between this and the LiveWire EV experiment, Harley’s clearly probing the edges. If nothing else, Momoa’s build puts a friendly face on an idea dyed-in-the-wool riders might otherwise dismiss on reflex.

Closing Thoughts

Today’s throughline is tactile pleasure. EVs are borrowing rhythm from the past to feel more human. Old icons prove that mechanical honesty still sells—especially if you’re handy with a socket set. Global alliances are flattening the cost curve so more people can taste electric without mortgaging the garden shed. And hybrids are popping up in places we didn’t expect, like Harley’s first PHEV skunkworks. More feel, more access, more choice—that’s a good news day in my book.

Quick FAQ

• What is a virtual gearbox in an EV? It’s software that mimics multi-gear shifting by stepping torque delivery and adding matching sound/feedback to increase driver engagement.
• Does simulated shifting make an EV faster? Not typically. It’s about feel and control, not raw acceleration.
• What’s the Stellantis–Leapmotor deal about? Stellantis is partnering to sell Leapmotor EVs in markets outside China, aiming to deliver affordable electric cars quickly via its dealer network.
• Are old Range Rover Classics money pits? They can be—if you buy a rusty or neglected one. A well-chosen, lightly used example, with some DIY maintenance, can be surprisingly cheap to run.
• Are plug-in hybrid motorcycles practical? They can be for mixed urban/highway use, offering quiet low-speed running with long-range backup, but packaging and weight are key challenges.