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

Autoblog Staff — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Technology, Videos, Hatchback, Nissan, Electric

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]

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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.

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Silent electric vehicles to cause new problems for NVH engineers?

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Technology, Renault, Electric

A researcher at Renault said customers surveyed last year about what they want in an electric car responded, "silence, peace of mind and comfortable riding, a windy sound quality, a fluid driving experience like a skipper enjoying a sailboat." That sounds dreamy, until you realize how loud a car really is underneath all of the regular drivetrain noises we've come to expect from an ICE-powered ride. For instance, when we drove the Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe two years ago, we heard nothing - and that's absolutely nothing - of the world outside, but that meant we could hear the windshield wiper motors mounted on the bulkhead.

Electric cars are going to bring many more and much greater challenges than that, and engineers are beginning to discuss how to overcome them. The noise, vibration and harshness culprits in an electric vehicle include battery cooling systems, HVAC fans and ducts, coils for the power electronics, and switching on range-extending engines on vehicles so-equipped. These are the kinds of noises covered up easily by engine and other low-frequency noises, but in an electric car, they can make one feel strapped into a curious contraption.

Of course, there is also the question of what to do for others who depend on the sounds of cars, such as blind pedestrians and cyclists. Sound engineering is the most talked about approach right now, but no one knows what shape this will take. Lotus Engineering created a Safe & Sound system that used a waterproof speaker to emit an make engine noise - but wasn't part of the promise of electric cars meant to be quieter cities? It's all still to play for when it comes to the future of NVH, but please please, no ringtones...

[Source: Ward's Auto | Image: Lotus Engineering]

Silent electric vehicles to cause new problems for NVH engineers? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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