Hybrids and electric cars 'too quiet'
Author: Robin Brown
Published: 26 August 2008
The advent of hybrid and electric cars in the US - including the Toyota Prius and Tesla Roadster - has created an unexpected new danger to pedestrians - they're too quiet.
The US Congress is considering a Quiet Car Bill that will ensure all electric cars make a minimum amount of noise.
While no-one has been hurt or injured by an electric car as yet, electric cars are believed to be a potential danger to pedestrians who are unable to hear them.
The Prius can cruise on electric power at low speeds, and is hard to detect as a result, while the Tesla Roadster is almost completely silent.
In a study from the University of California, pedestrians heard a petrol-engined car moving at 5 miles per hour three seconds before it reached them. By the time they heard an oncoming Prius, it had already passed by.
A spokesperson for the Environmental Transport Association said: “The noise created by motorised traffic a blight to many, so it does seem a shame that electric vehicles are being taught to ‘sing’ in this way, but when we test drove the Nissan FCV earlier this year it was obvious that even greater care was needed around pedestrians.”
Green models can be bad for your health
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We review the best hybrids out of the Toyota Prius and Honda Civic Hybrid to give you the lowdown on the best green vehicles on the market.
The new Mercedes S class has a sophisticated radar-based braking system - when it works. A demonstration ended up in a 3-car pile-up filmed by German TV.
Richard Hammond is reportedly in a critical condition after suffering serious injuries driving a jet-powered Vampire car while filming for Top Gear.
Latest reports from the hospital bedside of Richard Hammond are that the popular TV presenter is still in a critical condition after suffering what has been described as a ´significant´ brain injury.
A test-centre has found that a driver may lose control of the new 5-series, because there may be a problem with the stability control system in a loaded car.
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