Opinion: Does an EV really need to have its own sound?

• Our writer Steve Fowler has his say on EV sound generation
• Manufacturers adopt different approaches
• Abarth 600e vs MINI Aceman JCW
• EV noise can be just as fun as internal combustion engine

I’ve been driving an Abarth 600e for the past week, a car that raises a lot of questions.

Can an SUV be truly sporty? Does an EV have to have its own sound? And isn’t Abarth just a fast Fiat?

Let’s start with that last point. The Abarth 600e is basically a fettled version of the Fiat 600e. Quite substantially fettled, granted, but it did start life as a Fiat. Whereas BMW is quite happy to have M as part of the mothership, and it’s the same story with Mercedes and AMG, Stellantis insists that Abarth is a separate brand. I insist that it isn’t.

However, the purpose of this column is not to debate the authenticity of brands, more to discuss the noise these cars make – and the Abarth makes a very funny noise indeed.

We’ve been used to cars using synthesised sounds playing through the speakers to up the excitement for years. And we know that EVs have to play a sound at a certain level to alert pedestrians to the otherwise silent cars’ presence.

But the Abarth 600e – as well as the Abarth 500e – tries to mimic the sounds of a petrol model with what sounds a little bit like a fruity exhaust note playing artificially outside the car. In Park or Neutral, you can even play with the throttle to ‘rev the engine’ – although it sounds more like a lawnmower than an original Abarth.

I’ll admit to driving through a tunnel, winding down the windows and flooring the throttle – and quite enjoying the sound. But it did make me wonder why Abarth has tried to mimic the sound of an internal combustion engine?

Let me draw a comparison. I rarely eat meat these days, which means I eat lots of vegetarian food. Apart from vegetarian sausages. Why would a vegetarian want to eat something that mimics meat? So why would an EV buyer want to buy something that mimics a petrol car?

At the same time as the Abarth, I’ve also had a MINI Aceman (below) on my drive – another all-electric model in John Cooper Works spec that’s trying very hard to be sporty. It does a really good job, too, and I love the electronic whoosh that it makes as you accelerate, making me feel a bit like I’m piloting an X-wing fighter against Star Wars’ evil Empire!

BMW has worked with Hollywood composer Hans Zimmer to devise a sound option for its all-electric models. And Renault has paid French synth wizard Jean-Michel Jarre to come up with a tune for its EVs – although I suspect that might have more to do with Renault CEO Luca De Meo wanting to work with his musical hero.

This could start a whole new game of which musician should compose a sound for which car brand. Bruce Springsteen for Jeep? BTS for Kia? Coldplay for Land Rover? Nena for Opel (sorry – struggling to think of any other German pop stars)? If I made an EV, it would have a sound composed by Nik Kershaw!

One of my favourite sounds is the melody that a Fiat (not Abarth) 500e plays at low speeds. It’s an Italian tune called Amarcord by Nino Rota and I swear the first time I heard it I thought I was being followed around the car park by an ice cream van. It is, at least, original.

If you’ve ever been persuaded to go to a Formula E race, you’ll soon realise that those cars are far from silent. Sure, they’re no match for a Formula One car (in more ways than one), but I find the natural sound of EV racing cars at full chat quite appealing. It’s quite mechanical and there’s a fair bit of whining, but it’s engaging – and real.

As a tech geek, I love the thought that goes into creating the right sound signature. MINI has got it right. Fiat has got it right. Abarth, in my view, has got it wrong.

At least the Abarth 600e does feel sporty – as many EVs do. We’ve just got to get used to a different kind of noise that can – in some cars – be just as much fun as before.

** Steve Fowler is one of the UK’s best-known automotive journalists and currently EV Editor of The Independent and a regular contributor to The Guardian. He’s the only person to have edited three of the UK’s biggest car titles – Auto Express, Autocar and What Car? – and has interviewed the biggest names in the car world from Tesla’s Elon Musk to Ford’s Jim Farley. Steve has also presented documentaries for BBC Radio Four and is used as a resident ‘car guru’ on TV and Radio. He’s a World Car of the Year juror and a judge on both Germany’s and India’s Car of the Year Awards. Read more of Steve's work at stevefowler.co.uk.

Enjoyed this? Read our latest news

• New Volvo ES90 ‘in a class of its own’
• Women motoring journalists crown their ‘Best Car for 2025’
• VW’s entry-level EV: World premiere!
• Next-gen Audi A6 Avant revealed
• Lotus unleashes new Emira Turbo SE

Where To Next?

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to our newsletter.

Looking for a great leasing deal? Check out our incredible range of special offers.

Read our latest reviews and find the right model for you.

Want to know more about leasing? Take a look at our comprehensive leasing guides.

Interested in everything motoring? Why not catch up on all the latest car leasing news.