For years, automakers have been fussing over the sounds emitted by their electric vehicles, trying to tune them in a way that both presents as futuristic while also not alienating to people who are used to the rev of a four-cylinder engine.
They seem to have settled on a series of sounds that could best be described as somewhere in between a whir and a hum. Others would say it sounds like a flying saucer — and not always in a good way. But according to a new survey, most people may prefer something else entirely.
The online survey of 400 adults in the US found the top-rated sound was a “non-tonal” sound more closely resembling a gas-powered car than any of the inorganic sounds emitted by today’s electric vehicles. The survey — a joint effort by “sonic branding agency” Listen and behavioral science and neuromarketing research agency CloudArmy — asked participants to rank a series of sounds based on several criteria, including likability, noticeability, familiarity, and pleasantness. There were five tonal sounds and five non-tonal ones.
The two top-ranking sounds were both non-tonal and could best be described as white noise with slightly different pitches. The survey’s respondents preferred the non-tonal sounds over the tonal ones, which they perceived as being “alarming,” “ugly,” and “unappealing.” In contrast, people liked the non-tonal sounds because they sound more like white noise or “nature-derived.” Indeed, some respondents said they wanted sounds that most closely resembled a conventional car noise.
That could come as a shock to automakers, which so far have largely been over-indexing themselves on EV sounds. Several companies have announced high-profile projects to design unique sounds for their battery-electric models. BMW hired famed film composer Hans Zimmer to formulate soundscapes for its i4 electric sedans, while Mercedes-Benz is teaming up with Will.i.am to create an “interactive musical experience” for its cars. The Fiat 500e emits literal classical music at low speeds.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/24182348/ev-sounds-low-speed-survey-non-tonal-white-noise