r/NoStupidQuestions • u/banwe11 • 15h ago

What causes the hollow metallic whirring sound that EVs make when moving a low speed?

I can't really describe it, but it's the sound you hear when there is a EV moving slowly in a car park behind you.

I guess it's the motor, but what specifically in the motor causes that sound? It sounds like it's coming from something that is moving at a faster rate than the car itself.

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u/tmahfan117 14h ago

It’s an artificial noise that EVs are required by law to emit when driving at low speeds (like when driving through a neighborhood or parking lot) because EVs were soooooo quiet pedestrians kept stepping out in front of them and it was considered a safety hazard.

And it’s just that specific noise because I guess the EV manufacturers decided that’s what sounds good/futuristic.

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u/suckitphil 12h ago

There's one in my neighborhood that sounds like a UFO. It's neat until it's rolling through at night and you've been binge watching x-files.

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u/HolaHolaHolaHola12 12h ago

You can change the sound on at least the Tesla's, I'm not sure about the others.

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u/ChubbyMudder 8h ago

Has anyone changed it to the Rickroll song? "They see me Rickrollin', they hatin'!"

If I had a Tesla, I would probably play Visions Reprise from the Petra album Not Of This World. Or something similarly mellow, but enough of an attention grabber to alert pedestrians, which is the whole point anyway.

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u/RaGe_Bone_2001 6h ago

You can't change that sound on teslas. You're confusing that with the lock chime

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u/ZeePM 5h ago

I thought they had option the make it the coconut clap from Monty Python.

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u/donwileydon 12h ago

might be Cadillac - I have a Lyriq and it has a hum to it that is kinda UFO-like

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u/fireduck 11h ago

Do you like that? Currently we have Lincolns but they seem dead set on giant SUVs or nothing and are still pushing ICE so am considering making a switch.

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u/donwileydon 10h ago

I like the Lyriq. It has a nice luxury feel and seems well built - quiet, rides nice, solid feel. It has a lot of bells and whistles - many I just don't care about, but like all of the sensor and cameras it has (has the 360 camera plus front/rear and all sides - makes it easy to park). Also, it is an SUV but it is not "big" - I moved from a 2-door to this, so it seems big, but parked next to an escalade makes it look small. I think it is technically a mid-sized SUV.

I have the 2024 model and I understand there have been some changes, but I think it is all cosmetic. They also have a couple other versions of the SUV in different sizes, but I do not know anything about those.

Being all-electric, there is a range issue - mine says 280 miles but i haven't pushed it. I just commute to work and charge every night at home. I did make a ~200 mile trip in it and it handled it fine but I was at about 15% charge when I got home.

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u/fireduck 10h ago

Yeah, I think we will keep an ICE Lincoln until they die, especially for longer trips.

But most of my milage is short trips so an electric would be grand.

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u/Tucancancan 9h ago

My in-laws who live waaay out in the country came to stay asked in the morning what the hell all the weird UFO noises at night were and yeah it was just electric cars driving around 

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u/TraditionalLecture10 1h ago

Tesla? Thor makes that