Experimental Case Study of Sonic Perception of a First-Generation Electric Truck

<div>The sound generated by electric propulsion systems differs compared to the prevalent sound generated by combustion engines. By exposing listeners to various sound situations, the manufacturer can start understanding which direction to take to achieve compelling battery electric vehicle trucks from a sound perspective.</div> <div>The main objective of this study is to understand what underlying aspects decide the experience and perception of heavy vehicle–related sounds in the context of electrified propulsion. Using a thematic analysis of data collected at a listening experiment conducted in 2020, factors affecting the perception of novel sounds generated by a first-generation electric truck are investigated. A hypothesis is that the experience of driving or being a passenger in electric trucks will affect the rating and response differently compared to listeners not yet experienced with this sound.</div> <div>The results show that the combination of individual preference and experience, hearing function, acoustic content, time variation, signal stability, load-dependent feedback, and situation-equivalent sounds affect the outcome. The assessment and rating of quality and acceptance did not differ between battery electric truck experienced listeners and first-time listeners in general. The only driving condition clearly breaking this pattern was the auxiliary brake condition, which, besides being significantly higher rated by novel listeners, also stood out as the highest-rated and most positively commented driving operation overall.</div> <div>In conclusion, several combined factors affect the assessment of electric truck sounds. Three identified aspects are removing disturbing sounds, making the sound environment smooth and silent, and providing clear functional feedback. Memory of the contextual experience is a key factor when assessing sounds from driving operations. The expected difference between listeners with and without experience with electric truck sounds will be minor unless there is exceptionally high sound quality.</div>