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Nissan Leaf EV sound - Click above for video after the jump

As we get closer to seeing significant numbers of electric vehicles come to market, various standards are starting to emerge that cover things like how these vehicles are to be charged and how to measure range and equivalent mileage. One feature that remains up in the air is the sound signature of electric vehicles. For years, EV advocates have touted the silent operation of battery-powered vehicles as a bonus.

However, advocates for the blind and safety regulators are pushing for electric vehicles to produce some audible alert that indicates their presence. According to Just-Auto, beginning next week, Nissan will be bringing in 500 people including media, government officials and customers who have signed up to buy the Leaf to drive the car at its Oppama, Japan test track.

Among other things, they will be evaluating the "approaching vehicle sound" that will be used for the Leaf and Fuga (Infiniti M37) hybrid. Nissan is testing a system that produces external sounds that sweep across a range of frequencies to insure that almost anyone can hear it. The sound will also vary depending on whether the car is accelerating or decelerating. Follow the jump to hear a sample of what the Leaf will sound like, which to our ears is something like a robot whistling dixie. Top tip, Tohe!


Gallery: 2010 Nissan Leaf EV


[Source: Just-Auto]

Continue reading Nissan Leaf will break the EV silence with a digital whistle [w/video]

Nissan Leaf will break the EV silence with a digital whistle [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Jun 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Electric carelectric car soundselectric carselectric vehicleelectric vehicle soundsElectricCarElectricCarsElectricCarSoundsElectricVehicleElectricVehicleSoundsev soundev soundsEvSoundEvSoundsleafnissanNissan Leafnissan leaf electricNissan LEAF EVnissan leaf soundNissanLeafNissanLeafElectricNissanLeafEvNissanLeafSoundsoundtrackMon, 14 Jun 2010 09:30:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19512777/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/06/14/nissan-leaf-will-break-the-ev-silence-with-a-digital-whistle-w/19512777/article-detail.xml 19512777 http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2010/05/nissan-leafhi007opt_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2010/05/nissan-leafhi007opt.jpg <![CDATA[Nissan wants LEAF EV to sound like <em>Blade Runner</em> car for safety]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/18/nissan-wants-leaf-ev-to-sound-like-em-blade-runner-em-car-for/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/18/nissan-wants-leaf-ev-to-sound-like-em-blade-runner-em-car-for/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/18/nissan-wants-leaf-ev-to-sound-like-em-blade-runner-em-car-for/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


2010 Nissan Leaf EV - Click above for high-res image gallery

While advocates have long heralded a reduction in noise pollution in addition to air pollution as advantages of electric vehicles, not everyone is convinced that silent cars are a good thing.

We use our senses to navigate through life and when one or more of them are diminished, we rely on the others. Such is the case for blind people who must use their hearing to make up for some visual deficit. Every automaker working on electrified vehicles is aware of this and researching what sorts of sounds those vehicles should make for safety reasons.

For instance, Nissan engineer Toshiyuki Tabata has spent his career making cars quieter, but is now working on the LEAF to have it create sound. No final decision has been made, but reports tell us that Nissan is currently leaning toward making the LEAF sound like the whining flying cars in the film Blade Runner.


Gallery: 2010 Nissan Leaf EV


[Source: Bloomberg]

Nissan wants LEAF EV to sound like Blade Runner car for safety originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Sep 2009 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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