New electric cars in EU must make artificial noise at low speed

Electric car manufacturers who want to get their cars approved for the European Union are required from Monday to have a system on board that produces an audible sound when the car is driving slowly.

The new rules prescribe that electric vehicles must produce a sound at a speed of 0 to 20 km/h by means of a so-called Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System. This is not mandatory when stationary, but it is allowed. Motorcycles will not be affected by the new rules. The main purpose of this is to allow pedestrians and cyclists to notice an approaching electric car in good time.

The document does not prescribe a book of requirements for the sound; manufacturers are allowed to come up with their own systems and sounds. Jaguar, BMW and Nissan have designed their own sounds and systems. The sound to be produced should in any case sound like a traditional combustion engine, including a fluctuating pitch during deceleration and acceleration. There must be continuously audible noise of at least 56 decibels.

This acoustic vehicle warning system applies to all vehicles with a powertrain that contains at least one electric motor or generator. It therefore applies to electric cars based on batteries and hydrogen cells, but also to hybrid cars. According to the BBC, all existing electric cars must also have such a system from July 2021.

The rules that apply in the EU are based on international rules from the United Nations. The regulations are therefore not limited to EU Member States; in the United States, for example, there are also similar rules, although it differs slightly there. Manufacturers there have until 2020 to introduce the acoustic systems and the mandatory noise up to speeds of 30 km/h applies.