A revolution that will make noise . It's official: electric cars have never been sold so many in Europe, and even in France. With 17,128 models sold in September 2021, the electric car now represents 13% of the national market; which proves a sacred resistance to the current double crisis (semiconductor crisis, post Covid-19 crisis). Along with this non-polluting upturn comes an increasingly persistent question as we come across them on the road: why aren't electric cars silent, as advertisements and films promised. science fiction?

The answer is simple, and it comes from Brussels. Since July 1, 2019, the EU requires manufacturers to implement artificial noise on each engine; a height a priori, as electric cars had to guarantee the end of double pollution (atmospheric and sound). The reason is, in fact, very logical.

It's for your own good . In the city, the advantages of the electric car are already numerous - less polluted air, in particular. The other side of the coin, these are too quiet engines that can be dangerous for pedestrians, too long accustomed to the hum of heat engines. A study (see tweet above) even proves that you are 40% times more likely to be hit in town by an electrified car. As a result, the European Union has imposed AVAS (Acoustic Vehicle Alert Systems), a technical obligation on every electric car traveling at less than 20 km / h or in reverse. The goal is to avoid accidents due to a car that is too quiet. The silent city, as much to say that it is not for tomorrow.

The sound of a dishwasher.  Legislation now requires that each car make the noise of a running dishwasher, or 56 decibels, up to 20 km / h. AVAS, now mandatory on all new vehicles, may in no case exceed 75 decibels - the average volume of a thermal car. However, there is nothing to get excited about Brussels politicians, since studies show that above 30 km / h, electric and thermal make as much noise as the other, because several factors (tire screeching, aerodynamic noise). In short: if cars with electrical outlets are much quieter below 30 km / h, they are nonetheless dangerous in urban areas. This is the very reason for the EU's decision.

Create a sound signature. This issue of sound systems for electric cars is important for every manufacturer. Far from being seen as a detail or a chore, it should allow each car to stand out from the others thanks to dedicated services from many brands. Some well-known German manufacturers pay for the services of film music composers (Hans Zimmer), others are already considering allowing owners to choose the sound of the amplified engine from a media library pre-loaded in the car. Tomorrow, we will surely be able to choose the sound signature of our electric car, like a telephone ringtone. Except this time, it will not be possible to switch to vibrate mode.