Ferrari has patented a technique to reproduce the emotive acoustics of its iconic engines when it switches to battery power.
‘In a high-performance sports car, the sound produced by the engine (usually, an internal combustion engine) and perceived inside a passenger compartment is important, for a significant part of the “driving pleasure” of a high-performance sports car is due to the very sound produced by the engine,’ reads the Ferrari patent.
Ferrari’s method is to amplify the noise from an electric drivetrain, manipulating its pitch and volume to match the power delivery and mimic the sound and feel of a combustion engine, according to a report by Carbuzz.
Speakers would be installed inside the cabin to entertain occupants, but external noise would also be generated to let bystanders know you’re coming and continue to create those reel-ready moments for the influencers. It’s something its stablemate, Abarth, has already demonstrated, as you can see – well, hear – in the video, below.
Ferrari is aiming for 80 per cent of its sales to be from hybrid or pure electric cars by 2030 so we should start to hear this new approach within the next couple of years.
Ferrari follows the likes of Dodge with its Charger EV concept, and Fiat with its afforementioned Abarth 500e Scorpionissima by bringing the noise to normally-hushed world of electric cars. While there’s no doubt that the aural cues from an internal combustion engine add to the enjoyment and sense of speed in driving, is faking it for electrics really the right answer?
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