My car does make some noise

[okohll]

In contrast to thread Your car should make some noise, my MG4 does make a distinct noise when driving, particularly when accelerating or under regenerative braking.

It sounded to me slightly different to the speaker-generated pedestrian alert, more a whine, coming from the rear. It is quiet but definitely there.

So I've just confirmed that by temporarily removing fuse F6 for a short drive, which is the one which is for that speaker noise, as well as the SOS button. The noise was still there, in fact the car didn't sound particularly different to what it normally does, which shows me that what I'd previously thought was mostly the pedestrian alert is actual mechanical noise.

It's not actually very loud (road noise covers it at higher speeds or it otherwise disappears, it seems to appear at just under 40mph when regenerative braking) so I'm not sure there'd be much mileage in taking it back to the dealer to have a look. If I don't do that I'm half tempted to take it to my local ICE garage to see if they can check the oil level in the gearbox but before I do that, can I ask what other people's perception of their driving noise is?

I always assumed electric motors were pretty much completely silent. If I'd have to guess I'd say it was the gearbox.

It's been that way since I bought the car six months ago. I've never noticed any oil leaks on my drive, I did check after getting it.

 

[bowfer]

Every EV I’ve had makes a noise, I think any electric motor does.
‘Silent’ is a myth.
To be clear I’m talking ‘mechanical’ noise, not fake generated noise.
They all make a mild whine/whizz noise.

 

[okohll]

OK thanks, if that's the case I will probably just wait until the first annual service and ask them to double check the oil then - can't hurt given MG's history. I may have just particularly noticed it the other day because I was in the quiet countryside with all four windows down. Will keep an ear out just in case it does get louder.

 

[founny1]

I've done 500 miles now. And there seems to be a lot more noisier than when I first had it. 10 days ago. Knocks and sounds. Quiet but there.

 

[JeffMcC75]

A Nissan Ariya went passed me today and it was completely silent, it even came back down the street accelerating hard and there was no noise at all. I thought EVs had to make a pedestrian noise under a certain speed. I can hear the whir of the MG4 motor when I am accelerating hard.

 

[Macadoodle]

I always assumed electric motors were pretty much completely silent. If I'd have to guess I'd say it was the gearbox.

If what you're hearing is the high pitched 'wheee' coming from the rear of the car, then that's just the result of the inverter 'chopping' DC into AC for the motor. Totally normal and nothing to worry about.

 

[okohll]

Ta. Some interesting explanations searching on this:

A Quiet Revolution: Analyzing Electric Motor Noise via Simulation

Electric motor noise is a multiphysics problem. Analyze the electromagnetic forces and harmonics of a permanent magnet synchronous motor (and hear the results).

www.comsol.com

 

[Stuart Wright]

Every EV I’ve had makes a noise, I think any electric motor does.
‘Silent’ is a myth.
To be clear I’m talking ‘mechanical’ noise, not fake generated noise.
They all make a mild whine/whizz noise.

Agree with this. It's pretty quiet. My Model S 75D is actually louder than my Ioniq that it replaced. But then it does have twice as many motors.

 

[siteguru]

I've noticed that most Teslas make a lot of noise as they drive past me (when I'm out walking) ... but it's tyre noise not noise from a pedestrian system, even at speeds around 20mph.

 

[chris248]

I've just test-driven a MG4 today - I can definitely hear a presumably generated noise that rises with speed. It was even more noticeable when I drove the ZS EV. In contrast, I carpool with someone who is happy for me to drive her Leaf, and its totally quiet ... and I really like that.

 

[Corindikev]

Electric motors are not silent. There is always some noise generated from the rotor spinning in its bearings. Years ago working in the Dairy industry in NZ the factories had hundreds of electric motors driving all sorts of things. Most of the noise came from the various transmissions, belts and chains they were driving. An EV is no different. The transmission and the differential will both generate some noise. They are just a great deal more refined in 2023.

The combination of motor, transmission, differential and drive mechanism to the wheels usually transmits into a smooth hum or whine. The amount of damping and sound deadening material and sound proofing/isolation of the passenger compartment all play a part in how much reaches the ears of the occupants.

What usually makes the most noise is of course tyres and the road surface they are moving over. Coarse chip is loud, concrete is quite noisy and hot mix asphalt is usually the quietest surface.

 

[chris248]

Electric motors are not silent. There is always some noise generated from the rotor spinning in its bearings. Years ago working in the Dairy industry in NZ the factories had hundreds of electric motors driving all sorts of things. Most of the noise came from the various transmissions, belts and chains they were driving. An EV is no different. The transmission and the differential will both generate some noise. They are just a great deal more refined in 2023.

The combination of motor, transmission, differential and drive mechanism to the wheels usually transmits into a smooth hum or whine. The amount of damping and sound deadening material and sound proofing/isolation of the passenger compartment all play a part in how much reaches the ears of the occupants.

What usually makes the most noise is of course tyres and the road surface they are moving over. Coarse chip is loud, concrete is quite noisy and hot mix asphalt is usually the quietest surface.

Yes, I agree - it could just be the MG4's electric motor, which would make more noise as speed increases. Perhaps the Leaf has better sound isolation.

 

[siteguru]

What usually makes the most noise is of course tyres and the road surface they are moving over. Coarse chip is loud, concrete is quite noisy and hot mix asphalt is usually the quietest surface.

Teslas are bad for this ... I heard one coming along the road earlier this year and it was louder than many of the ICE vehicles that were using the same road.