Ferrari has decided to face head-on one of the existential dramas of the electric car, namely the absence of noise that drivers and others don’t like. And it does so, as always, in its own way. No synthetic rumbles, no speakers simulating the sound of an angry V8, no “Hollywood special effects” like some competitors who solve the issue with surround sound. The Ferrari Elettrica, the Prancing Horse’s first battery-powered supercar, will have a real sound, even if technically it’s an amplified effect.
Ferrari’s first electric supercar will amplify real motor vibrations instead of fake sound
The idea is as simple as it is ingenious. Instead of inventing fake noises, Ferrari has decided to capture and enhance the real vibrations of the powertrain. In practice, an ultra-sensitive sensor positioned on the rear axle listens to the frequencies generated by the electric motors and amplifies them.
What you get is an authentic hum, a mechanical song that changes based on the torque requested by the driver. A sound experience that, they promise in Maranello, recreates the emotional bond between man and machine, only with fewer decibels and more electricity.
Antonio Palermo, NVH manager, explained that the challenge was to be “authentic in a silent world.” Because electric is fast, clean, efficient, but also a bit boring for the ears. Hence the musical inspiration: “It’s a system similar to an electric guitar. We created a virtual body that brings out the purest vibrations of the motors.”
The sound won’t be constant. In relaxed mode, the Elettrica will glide in absolute silence, but when the driver floors the pedal or plays with the shift paddles, the symphony lights up. And no lag, because the sound response is instantaneous, synchronized with torque requests. The next supercar, as always, won’t be a beast that goes unnoticed.
