Anyone else bothered by EV noises?

[polyphonic54]

Compared to gas cars EVs are quieter overall, but they tend to make some more noise (motors, inverters) in the 1-5kHz range. Human hearing is particularly sensitive to that range for evolutionary reasons (babies crying, etc.)

EVs also lack the masking effect of an ICE engine. Imagine hearing nails on a chalkboard in a quiet room. Awful. Then music or sound that you like drowning it out with volume. Much better.

Lastly, ICEV NVH (noise vibration harshness) is largely a solved problem at this point while some EV NVH challenges lack a point of reference. I had a new Q5 loaner for my e-tron and the engine was not only pleasant to listen to, but extremely muted. I almost didn't hear it. Some of these new NVH challenges have been described in press releases from Audi and Mercedes.

My experience:

1. Tesla Model 3. Amazing vehicle aside for some excessive wind noise. Pleasant as anything below 45 mph.
2. Audi e-tron. Suffered from "body boom" which is a low-frequency droning noise produced by the chassis when driving over slightly imperfect roads, due in part to how the rear motor is mounted to the subframe (innumerable posts about this issue in the Model Y and e-tron forums, and some technical papers from the e-tron NVH engineer). The result is ear pressure and fatigue. Supremely uncomfortable to the very few that experience it.
3. Mini Cooper SE. High frequency motor noise that was largely absent from the Model 3. It sounds like a Mini jet turbine with the windows down. Somewhat audible at highway speeds. Not the pleasant motor whine from a Tesla that we all love.

I have driven each of these cars for at least one year and they all bothered me to no end. Drove plenty of ICE vehicles in-between, up to a week at a time, and they were fine. My ears felt totally at ease. Now I'm not beyond admitting that this could be psychosomatic, but it's really a huge stress. I want more than anything to drive EVs because they are perfect to me in every other way, including the road trips. Something about my ears and EVs just don't seem to mix.

Anyone else experience this?

 

[spsheridan]

Anyone else experience this?

Nope, but you should drive an ICE car.

 

[jmaddr]

I think your just habituated to a specific experience. I REALLY missed and still do miss an exhaust noise, not for comfort reasons like you describe but for sport and soul reasons. The car just seems so much more “alive”.
I think perhaps the reasons you mention are due to lack of an exhaust drone and 100 years of NVH tuning for an ICE layout. EV motors are smaller and the battery packs are so flexible in packaging, so the chassis as very different than in EV cars. Even more importantly, if you couple that years of hearing the experience a certain way and you’ll notice more and more. Now that I’ve driven an EV for 2 years, I notice it less and less.
Still, when I get in a sporty ICE car with a great exhaust, it sure does bring a smile back and a feeling of “right”. I think it’s mostly nostalgia. As EVs take hold and children grow up driving them, the sound in ICE vehicles, including exhaust will become bothersome to them, basically the other way around. As more sporty EVs come out and people start to shave weight, the mechanical sound of gears will become the new exhaust.

 

[Brando]

stereo/pod casts/usb music -- basically some distraction to protect your sanity.

 

[tezcatcatl]

My Model S front drive unit of the P90D sounds like a mini jet turbine.
I like it better than the exhaust noise of ICEs.

 

[Calliope]

I have driven each of these cars for at least one year and they all bothered me to no end.

Then it sounds like you should be driving an ICE car, because your hearing is particularly affected by some noises. You miss the masking effect of ICE sounds, I revel is the loss of those ICE sounds.

I'm surprised that you can't use music or audiobooks to mask the sound......but I don't have personal experience with being bothered by them.

 

[dduffey]

My 3 has a 20kHz sound that bothered me, but I used sound materials to block it (under rear passenger seat. I love all of the other low frequency sounds, wouldn't mind them being louder honestly but don't care.

The Y is very boomy, but that's not specific to EVs and an ICE is not going to mask that ... Porche had the same problem.

I hate the PWC, but that's clearly the fault of ICE manufacturers.

 

[Max_G]

I am commuting 100km (62mi) one way every weekday. I get to and from work as comfy and quiet as it can get... in a Mercedes S350.
While I have no experience driving a Model S, I assume it would come close, given its air suspension. I am soon retiring and have basically no need to drive anymore. The model Y seems to fit the bill as good as it gets. And most importantly -- I am still after a quiet car -- if the noise levels are quieter as a M3, I will be very happy. From what I figured (with a crude dB meter method), the E-class compares to the Model 3. The point here is: neither Y nor 3 will be quieter than an S-class. These are simply different vehicle classes.

 

[dduffey]

I am commuting 100km (62mi) one way every weekday. I get to and from work as comfy and quiet as it can get... in a Mercedes S350.
While I have no experience driving a Model S, I assume it would come close, given its air suspension. I am soon retiring and have basically no need to drive anymore. The model Y seems to fit the bill as good as it gets. And most importantly -- I am still after a quiet car -- if the noise levels are quieter as a M3, I will be very happy. From what I figured (with a crude dB meter method), the E-class compares to the Model 3. The point here is: neither Y nor 3 will be quieter than an S-class. These are simply different vehicle classes.
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I have a 2018 3 and 2021 Y (with the new windows). In my opinion they are roughly the same, but boominess (due to the hatch) is worse in the Y.

 

[Brando]

I am commuting 100km (62mi) one way every weekday. I get to and from work as comfy and quiet as it can get... in a Mercedes S350.
While I have no experience driving a Model S, I assume it would come close, given its air suspension. I am soon retiring and have basically no need to drive anymore. The model Y seems to fit the bill as good as it gets. And most importantly -- I am still after a quiet car -- if the noise levels are quieter as a M3, I will be very happy. From what I figured (with a crude dB meter method), the E-class compares to the Model 3. The point here is: neither Y nor 3 will be quieter than an S-class. These are simply different vehicle classes.
View attachment 713918

Best example of first world problem?

 

[1100MCM]

When driving slowly in a parking lot, both my wife’s Model Y LR and my M3P sound like the noisy power steering pump from 80s/90s Fords which I vividly remember as a kid since used high mileage examples of those were the only thing my parents could afford to drive. Apparently I’m the only one that notices this noise but I’m not that thrilled that motors or gearbox make that noise from when they were new.

 

[Brando]

When driving slowly in a parking lot, both my wife’s Model Y LR and my M3P sound like the noisy power steering pump from 80s/90s Fords which I vividly remember as a kid since used high mileage examples of those were the only thing my parents could afford to drive. Apparently I’m the only one that notices this noise but I’m not that thrilled that motors or gearbox make that noise from when they were new.

May have air in the heat pump system - ask SC next time you visit. PERHAPS a technician can hear over your cell phone?
good luck

 

[spsheridan]

When driving slowly in a parking lot...

@tij664, could it be the Pedestrian Warning System sound you're hearing?

 

[1100MCM]

@tij664, could it be the Pedestrian Warning System sound you're hearing?

Definitely not. The noise stops when the car is not rolling then you can hear it again as the car rolls at very slow speeds. I have the feeling the motor bearings on both the Y and the 3 are noisier than I’d like. I’ve ridden in another 2021 Model 3 (mine is a 2020) and while a little more subdued there’s still a slight audible bearing noise. I know electric motors will make a whine of varying intensity but this noise is more akin to a worn power steering pump on an old Ford.

 

[ICUDoc]

Yes they make noise- not a very nice noise.
No, it's no bothersome- it's really quiet and soft radio covers it fine
And it reminds you that you aren't polluting every second.
BTW, who TF can hear a 20kHz tone? I strongly doubt it...

 

[RSpanner]

The only "noise" that I dislike is when my wife puts the special effects sounds outside the vehicle..like the clip/clop sounds like a horse or the sound of an ice cream truck...

 

[Max_G]

Best example of first world problem?

And your point is?

The S350 is significantly quieter, which also significantly reduces stress and fatigue levels.
Given the M3 the same (or close) noise level and it would be the best out there.

BTW: I now own a M3LR... and updated the graph. The cyan-coloured line is for this car... and it seems a bit quieter here and there (nut not much in the scheme of things).

 

[tezcatcatl]

Above 80km/h, my Model S feels as loud as my 320i.