I love the idea of "quieting" forms of transportation. I'm constantly bombarded by noise living in the city, which just adds to the stress that comes from living shoulder to shoulder with millions of other people. Of course, quieter transportation isn't going to stop the loud talker on the train, but maybe less people will feel the need to shout to be heard.

This furthers one of my least favorite memes about electric cars: "they're silent". See, but, they're NOT.

Electric motors produce noise as they rotate just as ICEs do, and while that does tend to be quieter, it's typically much higher-pitched.

In any case, most of the noise from modern vehicles is produced by tires on the road, and electric cars are no exception. An idling car with conventional gas engine would be nearly as silent as the Tesla in that video, especially if recorded with that much ambient noise.

Many luxury (ice) cars strive for quiet inside and out.

I often hear booming stereos long before I hear engine noise.

I don't see silent electric motors as a problem.

I brought up this issue a year ago here on TH, in the comments for another article on an electric car. At the time I suggested that electric cars may need to incorporate some type of fake engine noise until they are moving fast enough so that wind & tire noises are generated. Still makes sense to me a year later.

I can't remember where, but a city somewhere that uses electric buses has implemented Doug's solution: fake engine noise. Pedestrians were stepping off curbs in front of moving buses because they couldn't hear them coming.

meh, just put some playing cards in the spokes.

lol

lol