Agreed on the tyre noise but it would be nice if they made a noise akin to an idling ICE when they're turned on and ready to move, but not moving. If an EV is ready and about to move but not yet moving it's not obvious that it could at any second.
Also noise is useful to visually impaired people.
Yeah I'm an EV driver and agree. The Renault Zoe made a nice electronic noise that helped with that, but the mg I have now is mainly just the motor whine. I know they freak out older people a bit so you have to be a bit careful.
I drive an EV too but this is a blind spot in the safety noise design. Even though my senses are all in top condition and I pay attention to my surroundings but can still be caught out by an EV suddenly and silently starting to move THEN making the synthesised noise.
Yeah - I think there should be a standard noise. Even then whatever they choose will take a while to drill into the popular psyche. Man, they do go like shit off a stick though.
Ferrari are, at great expense, working on a sound for their EVs that replicates their ICE engine noises. When they’re done, we should all nick the audio files and make every Renault Zoe in ASDA car park sound like a Ferrari
It was not long ago that a quiet car was a mark of excellent engineering and quality. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars were bragging about how you could hear the ticking of the dashboard clock over the engine noise. Now days it’s electrics and for various reasons quietness is attacked not applauded.
Car noise ruins cities. I live beside a railway line, trains go past seven meters from my window, yet the ‘quiet’ suburban street on the other side is responsible for all of the noises that disturb my deaf wife. I can hear the roar of the motorway a kilometre and a half away all day and night.
Theres an argument made about safety, but it’s a flawed argument. Tyre noise accounts for most car noise, and all cars regardless of fuel type have tyres. At the low speeds where tyres are quiet, EVs are already mandated to create artificial noise as a safety device.
FFS. In Europe, all EVs emit sound below 20mph/30kph as a warning to pedestrians. By law. They have done so for years. Mostly a sort of electronic him, tho some are more of a growl. You can’t always hear it inside the car.
The noise most cars make is tyre noise. And EV's being heavier presumably make more. But I agree they should play a tune, hopefully from a list of options.
1. 99 Red Balloons
2. Bang Bang Chitty Chitty Bang bang
3. The theme tune from Record Breakers
Ride of the Valkyries
Night On Bare Monutain
Theme from Jaws
Also Sprach Zarathustra (even better if it's the Portsmouth Sinfonia version)
Ludacris - Move Bitch
I walk to work early, and an electric car suddenly appearing behind me, at speeds in excess of the local 20mph limit without any audible warning, is a regular occurrence at 0530. Cunts.
Comments
Downloadable ringtones would be great tho!
Also, pay attention to your surroundings
Also noise is useful to visually impaired people.
1. 99 Red Balloons
2. Bang Bang Chitty Chitty Bang bang
3. The theme tune from Record Breakers
Night On Bare Monutain
Theme from Jaws
Also Sprach Zarathustra (even better if it's the Portsmouth Sinfonia version)
Ludacris - Move Bitch
The new quiet cities are wonderful. Let’s no ruin it.