Sounds of the City

Near-silent motion was initially seen as a wholly positive attribute of the new wave of electric vehicles (EVs) in lessening the aural impact of transport on the world’s already noisy streets. But in some scenarios – especially at low speed in built-up areas – EVs’ lack of a loud combustion engine and resulting lack of volume has meant other road users don’t always hear them coming. So now carmakers are searching for artificial sounds to alert other road users to their EV products’ presence.

By Hannah Robinson and Guy Bird