Excellence is in the details—like sound. For automobiles, it is far beyond an aesthetic element. It creates a car’s character, and influences a customer’s selection of a specific model.
This is why Porsche has treated acoustics with utmost regard. Tobias Hillers, head of the Sound and Concepts team said that “no other manufacturer has spent as much time working on the sound both inside and out as Porsche.” In fact, they have adopted the sound section among the essential elements of a car.
Acoustics as a Safety Feature for EVs
Compared to gasoline-powered units, electric vehicles are quieter with the soft hum of an electric motor. This is why an acoustic alert system has been required by the European Union Law for EV and hybrid vehicles when traveling at low speeds. In the US, characteristic sounds are required when a stationary vehicle is about to move, and an intensity in the sound level up to a speed of 20 km/h. Pedestrians being able to hear when an electric car is approaching is important to avoid accidents.
Introducing the Porsche Taycan’s Unique “Voice”
Acousticians in Porsche Weissach have transformed this requirement into a special feature, a tapestry of sound for one of the brand’s most popular electric cars, the Taycan. While certain sound components and the volume are legally mandated, the result is powerful, sporty, futuristic and genuinely characteristic of the Porsche brand. It is an authentic composition of the vehicle’s real sounds.
Similar to the 356 and 911, the Taycan provides clear feedback to the driver. Experiences with the Porsche 919 Hybrid underscored the importance of a vehicle’s audible responses. When works drivers trained in a simulator behind the wheels of the three-time Le Mans were provided with acoustic feedback, they were proven faster.
The company started the development of this unique tone in 2015. Nothing has been generated artificially. Hillers emphasized that their goal is for the sound to “fit the vehicle and be authentic.” Components that sound really good were incorporated, and less attractive sounds were filtered out. “Anything that sounds like a dentist’s drill or streetcar has to go,” Hillers said.
The making of Taycan’s voice entailed a complicated process that included creating sounds and trying them out on the test tracks at the Nardo Technical Centre in Italy, and countless hours were spent to make the foundation of the Porsche Electric Sport Sound—but every effort has been worth it. The result—an innovative sound experience that is emotional, present and unmistakable.
Unique sound concepts were developed for every generation of engine to provide every model with an acoustic calling card that is its own.
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