Ferrari is engineering simulated engine sounds (like most legacy automakers) for its future EVs
According to a recent patent filing, supercar specialist Ferrari intends to implement unique engine noises in its upcoming EVs. It just needs to build them first. The patent includes a system that reproduces combustion engine noises that can be synced with the increased acceleration of the vehicle’s electric motor(s). While this may simply sound like another automaker trying to deliver nostalgia to Ferrari fans accustomed to the roar of combustion, there is an element of safety as well.
Ferrari S.p.A.’s history dates back to Italy to the late 1930s, kicking off the automaker’s concrete status in motorsport history after a number of victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Despite being on the early forefront of such fast cars, Ferrari has been quite slow to adopt electrification.
The Italian automaker has not shunned electric vehicles completely, however. Ferrari currently offers four “electrified” models including the SF90 Stradale plug-in hybrid EV seen below. While the company has yet to deliver the first all-electric Ferrari, there is one already in the works slotted for a debut sometime in 2025 as part of the automaker’s journey become carbon neutral by 2030.
During Ferrari’s second-quarter earnings call in 2022, CEO Benedetto Vigna said the following about the upcoming EV:
We will unveil our first full electric model in 2025, a true Ferrari that will enrich our product range. It will contain several unique features and it will be a sport car as every Ferrari that offers a true Ferrari driving experience.
Following a recent patent filing, we have learned that one of those “unique features” mentioned by Vigna will be a new amplification system that reroute the fabricated sound of an engine out the back of the EV. Stop us if you’ve heard this one before.
Ferrari expects each of its EVs to have a distinct sound
Analysts at ODDO BHF have cited the recently filed patent by Ferrari that describes a unique amplification system targeting distinct engine noises. Per the filing, the patent relates to a “reproduction device for the realization of a sound that can be associated with an electric motor.”
ODDO went on to state that the technology would allow the Ferrari EV to amplify sound from its electric motor(s) while redirecting the noise to the rear of the vehicle where a traditional combustion engine would normally sit.
Last summer, the automaker’s CEO’s explained during a call with investors that sound is a key trait that makes a Ferrari a Ferrari and that every engine has its own recognizable rev. Vigna added that he expects Ferrari EVs to have their own “signature engine” roars too… just without the actual engine.
A note from ODDO BHF this week relays confidence that Ferrari should be able to deliver “a compelling and innovative EV product” in 2025, adding that sound-reproducing technology could help sell affluent fans of the brand to go electric without missing their precious noise pollution too much.
It will be interesting to see how the amplified sound technology works in the Ferrari EV, because they are by no means the first automaker to implement digital engine noises. BMW’s EVs currently have it, as does Mercedes-Benz vehicles which combine the zap of the electric motors along with engine noises for a futuristic, spaceship like drive that remains somewhat familiar. Tesla too!
Another huge argument for simulated engine noises (to reasonable volume) is safety. EVs are sneaky quiet, even at high speeds. Adding audible awareness not only keeps a driver informed of their speed, but also alerts pedestrians and other nearby vehicles that the EV, in this case the Ferrari EV, is coming.
We are sure to learn more when Ferrari officially pulls the sheet off its first BEV, but that’s still a couple years away.
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Hyundai is about to launch a new electric SUV in China. With its big debut coming up, Hyundai just dropped a sneak peek, and it looks like it could be the IONIQ 4. Check it out for yourself in the video below.
Is Hyundai teasing the IONIQ 4?
We caught our first glimpse of the new EV model last month after Beijing Hyundai released a few official “spy” photos.
Despite the camouflage, you can see a few design elements, like a light bar across the front, slim LED headlights, and a closed-off grille. At first, it almost looks like a smaller version of the IONIQ 9, Hyundai’s first three-row electric SUV, but with a much sportier, shaped profile.
Beijing Hyundai released a new teaser for the upcoming electric SUV this week. The video shows “a wave of high-end operations” as the vehicle dances across the snow.
The video highlights features like real-time torque control, high-speed cornering, and the SUV’s impressive body control while driving around cones.
Hyundai’s new electric SUV is being called “OE” internally, according to The Korean Car Blog, suggesting it could be an IONIQ model.
All other Hyundai IONIQ EV models were also codenamed with an “E” internally, which is raising speculation that this could be the IONIQ 4.
Like most global OEMs, Hyundai is fighting to compete in an intense Chinese EV market, which is dominated by domestic automakers like BYD.
Hyundai opened its first overseas R&D center last year in China to spearhead its comeback. It will work with local suppliers and tech companies to develop EVs designed for Chinese buyers. The new electric SUV is expected to launch in China later this year, followed by three new energy vehicles, including EVs and EREVs.
Beijing Hyundai will release more information on April 16, with the electric SUV set to “challenge the limit of driving performance.”
What do you think of Hyundai’s new electric SUV? Is this the IONIQ 4? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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Charge point provider char.gy has secured a £130 million contract to install 6,000 curbside EV chargers for Brighton and Hove City Council (BHCC) – the UK’s largest installation of its kind.
London-based char.gy has also been awarded a 15-year contract to operate and maintain the charging network.
Installing Level 2 chargers curbside, where most drivers in the UK park, will enable more people to take advantage of cheaper charging rates while juicing up their EVs overnight. (charg.gy’s pay as you go night tariff, between midnight and 7 am, is £0.39/kWh, compared to its £0.59/kWh day tariff.)
John Lewis, chief executive of char.gy, said the project is “a huge moment for the UK and its EV ambitions. This partnership alone will empower thousands of residents to confidently make the switch to electric vehicles, knowing they have easy access to chargers.”
Brighton and Hove City Council is among the first to tap into the government’s Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund, designed to help English local authorities roll out charging solutions for residents without off-street parking. Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood said making EV charging as accessible as possible is “crucial to making the switch to electric a success.”
The UK now has over 75,000 public EV chargers, according to the Department for Transport—and it looks like the country’s on pace to hit its 2030 target. Back in December, the National Audit Office said the rollout is “on track” to meet the DfT’s estimate that at least 300,000 chargers will be needed by the end of the decade.
Read more: Meet the UK’s largest solar + storage EV charging ‘Superhub’
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