Noise pollution is a huge problem in cities, and vehicles are a big part of that. Electric vehicles (EVs) can help, but do we need cars in cities at all?
Americans Refuse to Buy Electric Cars… Really?
When we think of pollution, we think of air pollution, and in the case of cars, it’s exhaust fumes that ruin the air quality in cities. But other forms of pollution can be just as harmful and far more annoying. Road noise is a constant, and if you live near a supermarket or something, delivery trucks can be more of a nuisance than airplanes flying overhead. EVs can help with this and make cities more livable.
"As early as 1981, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determined that noise pollution from traffic can be harmful to people's health," Joe Giranda, a classic car transporter, told Lifewire via email. "One way to reduce this is to get more people to switch to electric vehicles. MSN confirms that electric vehicles produce very little noise at low speeds due to the lack of internal combustion engines. This can be a huge benefit if you live in a city or suburb where noise pollution is a problem."
Car noise is not just about engine noise. It also depends on the shape of the car and the road surface. EVs are particularly quiet at low speeds, where tire and wind noise are negligible, and therefore the greatest noise advantage of EVs can be enjoyed in cities.
