Sound Dictatorship vs. Quiet: The Battle for E-Car Roar

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Electromobility is considered a beacon of hope for quieter and more livable cities, as its engines are inherently almost silent. However, this technical advantage is at stake. While more and more electric vehicles are rolling on the streets, a controversial debate is taking place in international standardization bodies that could lead to a significant setback in traffic noise. At its core, it's about whether the opportunity to sustainably reduce urban noise levels is being missed. This is because there is a growing lobby to make e-vehicles artificially as loud as combustion engines.

In a current analysis obtained by heise online, Holger Siegel from the Federal Association against Motorcycle Noise, Marc Millenet, and Thierry Talon shed light on the background of the negotiations in Geneva. There, the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) has been debating changes to the central vehicle noise regulations since 2024: Number 51 concerns permissible noise emissions, Number 138 concerns noises for quiet vehicles.

So far, a certain level of artificial noise at low speeds has been legally required to ensure the safety of pedestrians and visually impaired people. This Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System (AVAS) generates warning sounds in the EU up to a speed of 20 km/h. In the future, the limit may be raised to 30 km/h. Once the vehicle is moving faster, the sound must be switched off for noise protection reasons.

Industry Logic: Sound as Brand DNA

The automotive industry, represented in Geneva by the global organization OICA, Exterior Sound Enhancement Systems (ESES), e-cars will be able to emit additional sounds externally. These are not intended for safety, but are purely emotionally motivated. It's about sporty roaring or other booming soundscapes, artificially generated via loudspeakers.

The manufacturers' narrative follows a decades-old marketing logic that equates sound with emotion, dynamism, and identity. Companies like Porsche have already developed specific Electric Sport Sounds for models like the Taycan. BMW even cooperates with Hollywood greats like Hans Zimmer to create brand-typical soundscapes. These are intended to increase the "fun of driving."

The industry warns that tightening the limits could jeopardize the growing e-car market. Some customers would not buy a battery-powered vehicle without the usual "powerful sound," fear the OICA lobbyists. According to them, e-cars should not be subjected to stricter noise limits than conventional combustion engines. In practice, e-cars could reach the acoustic level of noise-prone performance combustion engines again through ESES systems, especially during acceleration. Critics see this as a desperate attempt to preserve an archaic car feeling in a modern era where true modernity is actually defined by silence.

The Porsche Case: Combustion Engine Revival Instead of "Electric First"

The current strategy of Porsche shows how deep this skepticism towards silent technology runs, especially in the luxury segment. Although electronic technology is considered superior and likely to prevail in the medium term, the Stuttgart-based sports car manufacturer is currently increasingly relying on traditional drive concepts "due to market conditions."

A SUV model series, previously planned to be fully electric, will initially only be available as a combustion engine and plug-in hybrid model. Many Porsche enthusiasts apparently prefer the mechanical precision and classic noise of a combustion engine over digital silence. This underscores the industry's identity problem: the farewell to the combustion engine would consequently also be a farewell to noise. But both manufacturers and parts of the customer base shy away from this step equally.

The Health Costs of "Sound Design"

While the industry debates emotions, health and environmental advocates warn of the real consequences. Traffic noise is the second-largest environmental hazard in Europe after air pollution. According to the European Environment Agency (EEA), over 110 million people are regularly exposed to health-damaging levels. Chronic exposure demonstrably increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks, and strokes.

In Germany alone, approximately 22 million people have to live with daily levels above 55 decibels. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that traffic noise robs Europe of around 1 to 1.3 million healthy life years annually. Against this backdrop, the attempt to make e-cars artificially louder appears to be a public health setback. France, the Netherlands, and Switzerland have already clearly spoken out against unnecessary noise in the UNECE bodies.

Compromise: Noise at the Push of a Button?

The negotiation status from November indicates a compromise. The positions initially diverge widely: for example, the EU Commission favors a strict ban on non-safety-relevant artificial noises. However, countries like Germany and Japan have warned against bans. Therefore, a technical middle ground is emerging: the "default-off" principle. It states: a vehicle may be equipped with ESES. However, such systems are generally switched off when starting the journey. The driver would have to actively activate the loudspeakers each time. Switzerland, for example, has pushed this approach in the working groups.

The final decision on the new standards is expected at the UNECE plenary session in February. Siegel, Millenet, and Talon are sounding the alarm that the "quiet revolution" is on the brink. Should the industry prevail in this culture war and establish ESES without strict hurdles, part of the technical progress in e-mobility could be undone.

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