Hyperdrive
Yamaha Wants to Put the Vroom-Vroom! Back Into Electric Vehicles
- Company bets on EV buyer demand for artificial engine sounds
- Japanese group sourced sound chips from the piano maker
Electric cars are better for the environment and cheaper to run. They’re gaining traction in many countries as governments strive for carbon neutrality. But one thing they don’t have on regular vehicles — that throaty roar that lights up the eyes of gearheads around the world.
Yamaha Motor Co. is working on a solution. Better known for its motorcycles and sharing historic ties with music instrument maker Yamaha Corp., the company is crafting a range of soundscapes to replicate the noise an internal combustion engine car makes upon acceleration.