'Silent' cars

[PeteXXX]

I don't do that much riding through towns, I'm mainly Road rides or Off Road stuff, but on the last couple of times I've ridden in traffic I've noticed that quite a few of the newer cars have an engine cut-off whilst waiting at traffic lights or stuck in queues.
Today, for example, I heard a car pull up behind me, then ...silence. I glanced over my shoulder and it was still there.
Not until the lights changed, a minute of so later, was it audible again as the engine started up. I suppose Electric cars are the same, but all the time.

 

[classic33]

We have one advantage left. We can still hear them approaching, tyre noise.

 

[NorthernDave]

Electric cars are the work of the devil, sneaking up silently behind you.
We'll have to get used to it though as stop/start or electric seems to be the way the world is heading.

 

[gavroche]

I have such a car that cuts off at traffic lights. To be fair, I regard it as a gimmick as it doesn't always work and I don't think it saves that much fuel.

 

[annedonnelly]

One of our local taxi companies uses electric vehicles. I've taken note and I do hear them approach. I think there is sufficient "road noise" that the lack of engine noise doesn't make any difference.

As for the ones that cut out I wouldn't worry about them as you'll hear them start up.

 

[coffeejo]

Ah, that explains a lot! I thought there'd been an increase in the number of people stalling at the lights and waiting to turn the engine back on! D'oh.

 

[screenman]

I have such a car that cuts off at traffic lights. To be fair, I regard it as a gimmick as it doesn't always work and I don't think it saves that much fuel.

I think it more about city pollution than fuel saving, it will not turn off if the battery is below a certain level. Is it a twin battery system?

 

[steve50]

Speaking of electric cars being "green" etc have you ever considered what goes into building an electric car and the pollution that is created to generate the electricity required to charge an electric cars batteries, when you take it all into consideration I don't believe an electric car is anymore environmentally friendly than a petrol or diesel engined car.

 

[fossyant]

Most petrol cars are hard to hear when the air con is off. Tyre noise though is the main thing we all hear when a car is coming, any engine, unless it's revved.

 

[screenman]

Whilst I understand where you are coming from I would rather be breathing in the fumes from an electric car than a fossil fuelled one in a traffic queue.

 

[fossyant]

Speaking of electric cars being "green" etc have you ever considered what goes into building an electric car and the pollution that is created to generate the electricity required to charge an electric cars batteries, when you take it all into consideration I don't believe an electric car in anymore environmentally friendly than a petrol or diesel engined car.

It's shocking - the battery production process is massively polluting. We should have life cycle tax for cars. Easy to calculate, but no-one will do it.

 

[classic33]

Most petrol cars are hard to hear when the air con is off. Tyre noise though is the main thing we all hear when a car is coming, any engine, unless it's revved.

You forgot the installed "boom boxes". You can feel them long before you'll see them.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Today, for example, I heard a car pull up behind me, then ...silence. I glanced over my shoulder and it was still there.

Would you have been more or less surprised if it had disappeared?

 

[gavroche]

I think it more about city pollution than fuel saving, it will not turn off if the battery is below a certain level. Is it a twin battery system?

I have no idea but I would guess it is all off the main battery.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Would you have been more or less surprised if it had disappeared?

That's what I was thinking!