As electric vehicles grow more common, some of us in the driving community will miss the rumble of a finely tuned engine. Among this nostalgic group, some will be EV developers.
That is because the familiar sounds of internal combustion engines and their mechanical subsystems have long masked other, more subtle noises that become easily heard while riding under electric propulsion. Among these are the sound of air rushing past the vehicle exterior, tires rolling on the pavement below and the whir of the HVAC system. Given that EVs have neither engine nor exhaust, these sounds are becoming increasingly irritating for those working to deliver a pleasant cabin noise environment. Their customers have even higher expectations of quietness when operating an EV.