EV Insights

Episode Four: Do electric cars make noise?

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There are the superfans, the tentatively curious, the actively looking to switch. Then there are those who just cannot, will not, entertain the idea that electric cars can be as exciting as petrol or diesel cars.

So, we decided to invite five of our Facebook petrolhead followers to a track day with Rory Reid in an attempt to change their mind and convert them to an Electric Champion.

Sceptic number four told us electric cars are soulless and lack the noise of internal combustion engines.

It’s true that electric cars are very quiet. Given the way they’re built, they tend to only generate noise through their tyres or by wind resistance at higher speeds.

Many drivers still want the roar of an engine when they accelerate, even though the ways those engines are now built mean that roar isn’t quite what it used to be.

Wants aside though, there are safety risks around not being able to hear cars approach – particularly for pedestrians.

To tackle this, all new four-wheel electric vehicles must be fitted with an acoustic vehicle alert system (AVAS). This usually sounds when the vehicle is reversing or travelling at less than 18 mph. The rules apply to all new electric and hybrid cars registered from 1 July 2021.

Learn more about the ways electric cars work.