Lotus Evija’s Artificial Sounds Explained
Every electric car needs a sounds, and here’s how the Lotus Evija will sound.
For the longest time, Lotus has been producing nothing but their legacy models – the Elise, Exige and Evora. These cars are now in their final year of production and the-all electric Evija signals the start of a new era for the company.
All 130 units of the car are probably accounted for, but not all the final details of the Evija have been unveiled yet. Take the sound, for example…
As with all electric cars, the Lotus Evija produces minimal noise when in motion. In most markets, it’s mandatory for the manufacturer to create a sort of artificial noise to alert pedestrians and other road users to its presence. This presents manufacturers with an opportunity to create a little sound signature of their own.
For the Evija, Lotus engaged with Patrick Patrikios – a renown British music producer. He turned to the legendary Lotus Type 49 from the 1967 Formula 1 GP for direct inspiration. Here’s a video showcasing his process and the sounds of the Evija.
And here’s the press release with more details.
PRESS RELEASE
Lotus is working with a renowned British music producer, inspired by the engine note of the iconic Type 49, to develop a range of sounds for the all-electric Evija hypercar.
Patrick Patrikios has written and produced for Olly Murs, Sia, Britney Spears, Pixie Lott and numerous other world-famous stars. He was Brit Award-nominated in 2018 for his collaboration with Little Mix, and the tracks he’s worked on have been streamed more than a billion times.
Patrick loved the idea of using a famous Lotus as a starting point, and what better example than the Type 49 – one of the most iconic race cars of all time. He explained: “There’s a purity to that V8, a raw edge and an emotion that stirs something in your soul, just like the best songs.”
The process began with the recording of a Type 49, which Patrick fed into his computer. In digitally manipulating the sound he and the Lotus team realised that slowing the engine note down created a similar frequency to the natural driving sound produced by the Evija’s advanced all-electric drivetrain.
Welshman Patrick has been a Lotus fan since childhood thanks to his car-loving father. An Evora driver, he splits his time between Los Angeles and the UK. His body of work includes Hollywood movie soundtracks as well as songs from internationally renowned recording artists.
Patrick’s primary task was to craft the Evija’s external noise as it begins to deliver its immense ‘0-186mph (300km/h) in under nine seconds’ acceleration. However, using the Evija soundscape he created, he has also developed chimes and tones for everything from the activation of the indicators to the seatbelt warning.
Few race cars from any motorsport brand are as celebrated as the Lotus Type 49. It won on its first Formula 1 outing, the 1967 Dutch Grand Prix, with legendary driver Jim Clark at the wheel, and a Type 49 was on pole position at every race for the rest of the season. The following year Graham Hill won the F1 Drivers’ Championship in a Type 49.
Only 12 examples were ever made, and the car will be forever associated with two world debuts. The Type 49 was the first to use the all-new Lotus-developed Cosworth-Ford DFV engine that would dominate the Formula 1 grid for more than a decade, and it also marked the first appearance of the iconic red, white and gold colours of Lotus sponsor Gold Leaf, one of the most recognisable motorsport liveries of all time.
About the Author
Subhash Nair Written work on dsf.my. @subhashtag on instagram. Autophiles Malaysia on Youtube.
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