[Dippy]

Ferrari has been in the news for its upcoming EV, and now the supercar maker has said its first EV will have its own ‘sound signature’. A videographer also caught a Ferrari EV prototype driving around Maranello, making an engine-like sound. Two recent patent applications that have been filed indicate that Ferrari is working on a virtual engine and gear-shift system for EVs.

The first patent describes a system for an EV that uses an electric motor to simulate the torque output of an internal combustion engine and the gearshifts of a geared transmission. The torque output from the motor is defined by the position of the accelerator pedal and the virtual gear. The driver can actuate virtual gearshifts using paddle shifters, like those in other Ferrari models.

The second one talks about an audio-control system for such an EV, where both interior and exterior speakers reproduce a digitally generated sound that corresponds with a virtual engine and transmission model. The sound can be anything from ‘ historical, modern to futuristic, adrenaline-filled or relaxed’ based on driver preferences. There are additional sounds for gear shifts as well. Methods for recording the sound of ICE cars are also mentioned in the patent.

There is a possibility that Ferrari might be able to recreate the sounds of their famous and historic engines in its EVs. Ferrari has repeatedly said that it wants its EVs to give the same emotional experience and connect like its internal combustion engine cars. This news seems to be a step in that direction.

But Ferrari is not alone. Hyundai implemented a similar system in the Ioniq 5 N, emulating an 8,000-rpm turbocharged four-cylinder and eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Kia has adopted it for the EV6 and EV9 GT models.

Ferrari’s first EV will be making its global debut in October later this year.

Source: Motor1.com

Link to Team BHP news

[GTO]

Don't write it off, guys! This is one of the BEST & most convincing examples today. If OEMs are trying to make EVs more fun, let's welcome the gesture.

The feature is anyway optional. If you don't like it, disable it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSIguemKIbQ

[SmartCat]

Even if somebody likes it and enables the feature, very likely he will disable it later on. That's because of the way our brain is wired. It will keep sub-consciously reminding you that those sounds/gearshifts are not real. And if we know that something is not real and there is no physics/mechanics behind it, the appeal goes down drastically over time.

Analogy is robotic pets vs real cat/dog. You can pack reality and intelligence into robotic pet, but 'owners' will gradually lose interest in it. Because our brain keeps reminding you that it is not real, and that's why it can never compete with a real dog/cat.

Another analogy would be real gold jewelry vs artificial gold jewelry. The latter looks exactly the same, nobody will know it is fake but the brain knows it is not real (hence very little appeal).

[Cyborg]

Will a Ferrari aficionado really buy into this sacrilege to the brand. A Ferrari EV and then to add insult to injury artificial sounds created

Enzo Ferrari must be rolling in his grave!

[Xpresstrainfast]

Something like this one is certainly better than say, Tata's AVAS in the Curvv. I feel that many people avoided EVs because they lacked muscle. Now, they have 'muscle' by every definition. Not long ago I saw this reel:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Jg_u4ROIOE

.

This is certainly good news! Ferrari must also give the option to mimic different engines. The future is now EVs vs Hybrids. Pure ICE seems to have no place in the performance world. A decade or two back, absolute car guys seem to have a problem with turbocharged 8 cylinders instead of V10s. Now, it's the same. The purist get left behind while those who embrace the latest and greatest rise above.

[Vishal.R]

Engineers who created these iconic engines didn't intended to design engine which sound specific way, they wanted to design best engine possible with available technology at that time, and sound was natural outcome of that enginnering.

Now world has moved to different direction, there is no point in trying to achieve something which is not real. Only way to enjoy such things is try to preserve all available cars with ICE engines.

[BullettuPaandi]

Originally Posted by Vishal.R

Engineers who created these iconic engines didn't intended to design engine which sound specific way, they wanted to design best engine possible with available technology at that time, and sound was natural outcome of that enginnering.

While I can understand the general disappointment, and largely agree with SmartCat's post (#3), 'designing an engine to sound a specific way' is definitely intentional and part of what makes some Cars/Motorcycles iconic- and, needless to say, the engineering process harder as well. I believe it is part of NVH curation.

If Ferrari made cross-planes, which arguably is a better technology for most road users (higher torque at lower RPMs), I'm sure at least a subset of Purists will be equally disappointed, if not more. Because such a Ferrari would sound uncharacteristically American.

The way I see it, due to regulatory constraints, manufacturers are basically forced to sell EVs- or at least Hybrids- as well. I think it is in the US, where there's some sort of constraint on the average pollution level a manufacturers' line-up of cars can produce. I wouldn't be surprised if some other countries have some sort of similar regulations as well, given how politicians tend to adopt/copy-paste rules/regulations from other countries. If this EV of Ferrari is supposed to make them comply with such regulations, I appreciate the effort in making it as close as possible to their CVs, if anything.

It can be argued the Porsche needed the Cayenne, Lamborghini needed the Urus, Jeep needed the Meridian & the Compass- each arguably sacrilegious to their respective brands in some sense. I suppose such EVs are one such necessary deeds to be done.

Sacrilege or Sacrifice? Impiety or Immolation? I don't know; but it can be both (Edit- Unless they pull a Jaguar).