Borla says that it is in the midst of a “Blockbuster vs. Netflix moment” as EVs begin to act as real competition for vehicles with combustion engines. The aftermarket exhaust manufacturer, though, has a plan.
At this year’s Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show, Borla has an all electric Ford Mustang Mach-E at its stall for the show. That may seem odd at first, since the car has no engine, but the company says it will manufacture its own “exhaust note” for the otherwise nearly silent vehicle.
“We had customers coming to us, particularly with the Mach-E, and asking for more aggressive sound,” David Borla, the company’s VP of sales and marketing, told Car and Driver. The first of those customers was, apparently, Shelby American, which wanted to add a Mustang Mach-E to its fleet of offerings.
“Shelby said, ‘Help us out, we need to add some sound to these,’” said Borla. “When you lose sound, you lose vibrations, it’s a different experience.”
Read: Everrati Now Offers Electric GT40 Restomod With 800 HP, V8 Noise, And Fake Shifting
@caranddriver #Borla is making “exhaust systems” for EVs. How does that make you feel? #MustangMachE #Borla #exhaust #sounds #carsoftiktok #cartok ♬ original sound – Car and Driver team
On its website, Borla writes that the sound of an engine “adds a cherished awareness to driving enthusiasts.” The company has therefore developed its own proprietary algorithm with “state-of-the-art audio processing and amplification technology” that helps its Active Performance Sound System simulate speed, power, RPM, torque, and load with zero latency.
The sound comes from real recordings of actual internal combustion vehicles equipped with Borla exhaust systems. The system has sounds for idling engines, ramps to redline, cruising, throttle lifts, burbles, pops, and more.
And since this is a third-party product, Mustang Mach-E drivers aren’t limited to Ford engines. As seen in a TikTok published by Car and Driver, the EV can simulate the sound of a Chevrolet Corvette, Camaro, or a Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, if you’re loyal to the brand.
Just the latest company to add engine sounds to an electric vehicle, Everrati announced an all-electric version of the classic Ford GT40 that could deliver up to 110 dB of V8 exhaust noise from two speakers installed in the car.
Others, like Mercedes, have opted to avoid adding fake engine noises to their electric vehicles because of the fundamental differences between electric motors and internal combustion engines.
“The driving dynamics from an electric vehicle differ too much from a combustion engine: you miss the characteristic changes in the gearbox,” Dr Thomas Küppers, Mercedes’ head of sound design, said in March. “And we learned within our car clinics: if you want to have that unique AMG experience, you turn your head towards Affalterbach. Customers, who buy an electric vehicle, are keen on this new ‘user experience’ and search for acoustic differentiation.”
If you disagree, however, Borla says it will start shipping its active engine sound technology for the Ford Mustang Mach-E in the coming months. Products for the Ford F-150 Lightning will follow.
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