Life E-VIA: Prototypal Low-Noise Road Surface for the Reduction of Electric Vehicle Rolling Noise in Urban Area

Abstract

In both the current and foreseen context of significant development of the electric vehicle (EV) fleet, a future increasing ratio of EVs in the urban traffic is expected, still enhanced in low-emission zones involving bans or restricted access to other vehicles. EVs are known to be quieter than conventional vehicles at low speed because of a low motor noise emission, resulting in a higher prevalence of rolling noise in the environmental noise. EVs differ from conventional vehicles in several parameters that can influence tyre/road noise, like weight and torque. The LIFE E-VIA project objectives consist in developing, implementing and assessing a low-noise road surface for light EV traffic in urban conditions, optimised from an acoustical and life cycle perspective. In parallel, an optimisation of EV tyres is investigated.

Keywords

• electric vehicle
• road surface
• tyre/road noise
• urban road traffic noise
• friction