Electric cars are not necessarily quieter than combustion engines. This is the result of statistics from the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA). All in all, newly registered cars in Germany cause less and less noise emissions.
Driving in Germany is associated with less and less noise. This is shown by a comparison of the data from the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) over time. However, this is only partly due to the higher proportion of electric cars.
Few decibels, big effect
Comparing the years 2018 and 2022, the volume of passenger cars newly registered in Germany fell from 70 to 67.7 decibels, according to statistics from the Federal Motor Transport Authority. A reduction of only around five decibels is perceived by the human ear as a halving of the volume.
However, the constantly increasing proportion of electric cars is not significantly involved in noise reduction, as the data from the KBA show. For example, cars from the electric car brand Tesla are on average among the “louder” brands and are even above average in terms of noise emissions.
E-cars are heavier and accelerate faster
According to TÜV Süd, several factors ensure that e-cars are not automatic and whisper-quiet everywhere. Due to their design, electric vehicles accelerate very quickly. “This leads to much louder tire rolling noises, even if the engine itself is not that loud,” says Michael Ebert from TÜV to the dpa news agency.
In addition, e-cars are significantly heavier than comparable combustion engines. The main factor here is the electric battery, which weighs several hundred kilos. The stronger the car is compared to its weight, the higher the noise level from the engine and tires.
According to the KBA measurements from 2022, the Tesla brand is on average 68.8 decibels and is therefore louder than an average BMW (67.7 decibels) or VW (68.1 decibels). The cars of Tesla’s competitor Nio are comparatively quiet at 66.3 decibels. Vehicles from the Japanese manufacturer Nissan also produce below-average noise emissions (66.1 decibels).
Sports and luxury bodies and Lada are the loudest
As expected, Ferrari (72.1 decibels) and the luxury cars from Bentley (70.5 decibels) rank at the other end of the noise scale. A Russian-made Lada causes even more noise emissions with an average of 73.5 decibels.
Incidentally, electric cars are not allowed to drive silently. Since July 2021 there has been a “noise obligation” for all new electric vehicles. The Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System, AVAS for short, is intended to prevent vehicles from not being noticed by other road users, especially when they are approaching. The result would be an increased risk of accidents.
The EU will tighten the limit values in 2024
But in any case, there are limits to noise emissions from motor vehicles, which will become even tighter in the coming year. An EU regulation stipulates that noise emissions must be further reduced from 2024. In a high-powered vehicle such as a sports car, only 71 instead of 73 decibels should then be reached. For a small car, the permissible value drops from 70 to 68 decibels.