One major difference between electric vehicles and internal combustion engines is that the latter naturally creates noise, while EVs are naturally quiet and are required to have sounds built in to alert pedestrians—and automakers are having some fun with it, reports the Detroit Free Press.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has mandated that new EVs and hybrids traveling roughly below 20 mph must emit noise. There are certain criteria that must be met, such as minimum sound pressure levels and maintaining the same sound with vehicles of the same make, model, year, body type, and trim; but beyond that, there’s variety to be seen in what currently exists.
“EV sound design is wide open,” General Motors Regulatory Sound Engineer Glenn Pietila told USA TODAY. “There's a lot of different directions people are going.”
EVs across GM’s four main brands—Buick, GMC, Chevrolet, and Cadillac—all feature distinct sounds. A didgeridoo, which is an Australian wind instrument, was used along with audio recorded from the sun for sounds in its electric Cadillacs, while electric GMC Hummers emit something that sounds louder and tougher.
“Both of them fit regulations. When you hear them, you know they're there. You know that there's a vehicle there that's approaching,” said Creative Sound Director Jay Kapadia. “But you also know what (brand) it is. You know, it's a luxury car, it's a Cadillac, even if you can’t see it.”
For Dodge’s Charger Daytona EV, the goal for its sound was to replicate engines like the V8 and the classic muscle car.
“Our approach was familiarity, consistency,” shared Dodge Brand Manager Kevin Hellman with USA TODAY.
Such strategies may be effective in bringing more drivers over to adopt an EV, added Cameron Rogers, a news manager at market researcher Edmunds.
“How do you convince your customer who doesn't mind a 5-mile-per-gallon car into an EV switch?” said Rogers. “These sorts of things could definitely persuade them.”
