Quick Facts About Enhanced Engine Noise
- Many newer EVs come with artificial engine noise to mimic internal combustion.
- Amplified engine noise is used in some gas-powered vehicles to enhance sound from quieter engines.
- Vibrating seats to simulate the rumble of gas engines are on the drawing board.
It’s widely known that electric vehicles (EVs) are quiet; some people say they’re too quiet. So, EV manufacturers turn to technology to create some artificial engine noise for electric car owners. Even some gas-powered cars have amplified engine noise pumped into the cabin to combat soundproofing and smaller engines in today’s vehicles.
While some car purists may be against fake engine noise, some of the biggest automakers are taking it as a design feature for their upcoming models. Keep reading to learn more about synthetic engine noise and whether it will enhance the sound of your next car.
- What Is Artificial Engine Noise, and Why Does It Matter?
- Why Electric Cars Use Amplified Engine Noise
- What Sounds EVs Make
- Do All EVs Have Fake Engine Sounds?
- Do You Need Amplified Engine Noise?
What Is Artificial Engine Noise?
Engine sound enhancement is synthetic or prerecorded engine noise playing through a vehicle’s internal and external speakers. The technology uses powertrain data to simulate or amplify a car’s noise when driving and delivers the sound into the cabin. While it started as a feature for gasoline-powered cars that are growing quieter, this fake engine noise is also used by electric vehicles because EVs produce little natural noise from the motors, propelling them.
Systems to tune engine sounds have been used for years in gasoline-powered vehicles from car manufacturing giants. The BMW M5, Ford Mustang, and Acura TLX, to name a few, use an active noise control system that plays prerecorded engine noises through speakers.
A growing number of manufacturers, including Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and Tesla, use fake engine sounds to enhance the driving experience when you press the accelerator.
Why Electric Cars Use Fake Engine Noise
EVs use quiet battery-powered electric motors that don’t have the exhaust sounds produced by revving combustion engines. Even with rapid acceleration on par with or faster than traditional muscle cars, EVs are nearly silent without fake engine noise. The artificial sound helps give drivers the nostalgic appeal of the feeling of driving a car with an engine that makes noise.
Most driving enthusiasts agree that being behind the wheel involves many senses. For many, part of the fun of going fast is the thrill of hearing an engine roar. An EV’s synthetic engine noise gives drivers some—OK, a tiny bit—of the auditory sensation found in a roaring V8. The Dodge Charger Daytona EV has a 600-watt roar to mimic a muscle car’s engine, using a series of woofers and midrange speakers that combine through a chamber. While the automaker calls it “Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust,” one Kelley Blue Book reviewer simplifies the mechanical description to “a speaker in a tube.”
Kia and Hyundai are taking the simulation of an internal combustion engine (ICE) a step further. The Korean automakers are exploring adding virtual engine vibrations to their electric cars to give owners an authentic driving experience. The vibrations will work with the amplified engine noise, so when the vehicle accelerates, the noise and vibrations get more intense.
What Sounds EVs Make
EVs don’t generate loud noises when cruising because the battery pack and electric motor don’t make audible noises like a gas-engine powertrain. Some drivers say electric cars are too quiet, but others find the absence of sound soothing.
In fact, many newer cars, both gasoline- and battery-powered, have noise-canceling technology for the cabin. You may not even hear the friction of tires rolling on the pavement.
But while it may be desirable for some to have little to no noise heard inside the vehicle, safety calls for people outside to hear the car coming. That’s why EVs produce a synthetic whirring sound when driving at slow speeds. The fake engine noise warns passersby, pedestrians, and bicyclists that a nearby vehicle is in motion.
MORE: How Do Electric Car Tax Credits Work in 2025?
Do All EVs Have Fake Engine Sounds?
All newer EVs and plug-in hybrids make a hum, whir, beep, or chime sound to help warn playing children, joggers, and animals of an approaching car. Only some vehicles have artificial engine sounds to make them sound like a performance car.
Some traditional muscle cars face discontinuation in favor of EV models like the Dodge Charger Daytona mentioned above. Artificial engine noise is in the cards as an attempt to give EV drivers some of the auditory experience resonating from gasoline engine exhaust pipes. Some enthusiasts appreciate it, while others dislike the artificial exhaust sound.
A smaller number of vehicles produce synthetic engine noise piped into the car’s audio system, which drivers can customize. Depending on their preferences, drivers might select an aggressive performance sound or a more subtle engine noise.
Do You Need Amplified Engine Noise?
If you’re driving a newer gasoline vehicle or EV, chances are you already have amplified engine noise in your car. Drivers of cars with gas engines probably don’t even know that their vehicles might have this system. As for current or potential EV owners, artificial engine noise comes down to preference. You won’t need the fake engine noise if you prefer a quiet car ride and don’t care too much about the engine sounds.
However, if you’re more of a car enthusiast, artificial engine noise and vibration in an electric car might be welcoming. Nevertheless, chances are you’ll have plenty of customization options as enhanced engine noise systems become more common.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated since its initial publication.
