Regulatory pressures on internal combustion engines (ICEs), combined with technological improvements in electric powertrains and batteries lead to an increase of demand for electric vehicles (EVs). Both, the traditional carmakers as well as new entrants without ICE legacies are developing and putting on the market new EV models.
Worldwide sales of pure battery EVs (BEV-excluding hybrids) grew by approximately 45% in 2016. Since, BEVs become mass-market product, it is necessary that automotive acoustic engineers apprehend and evaluate related technology trends and their influences on vehicle NVH. The BEV is a radically different vehicle and it needs an updated NVH approach, which targets all relevant NVH comfort issues in a specific electric environment. As demand rises, BEV technology and design will continue to evolve, and strategic challenges will follow. Established OEMs and their traditional suppliers will need to rethink their approaches to preserve their revenue and profitability.
The ZE driving implies “silence”. Consequently, some NVH performances are to be increased for BEVs. The lack of IC engine noise masking exacerbates: the noises of different systems & devices, wind noise, rolling noise and tire hiss, etc. the corresponding NVH requirements are to be strengthened, comparing to the IC engine vehicles. The completely new, but crucial NVH challenge for BEV is to control e-Powertrain whining. Disturbing noises like squeak rattle and buzz, particularly in low noise BEV context are prohibited, too.
