Have a listen to Volkswagen’s electric ID.3 hatch

Electric cars have to make noise, because pedestrians need to know they’re there. BMW recently wowed us with its electric noise engineered for its upcoming Vision M Next supercar; a fantastic collaboration with legendary composer Hans Zimmer.

On the other end of the fast scale, we have this: the upcoming Volkswagen ID.3. It’s the little electric hatchback that signals a new dawn for the carmaker, and thus, needs something suitably futuristic to accompany.

Listen to it, here.

“ID family models will, in the future, use an Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System (AVAS) to generate an artificial driving sound – when moving off, at speeds up to 30km/h, and when reversing,” says Volkswagen.

We’re told this AVAS will be heard inside and outside the car. Indeed, different stages of the noise will be heard based on speed and accelerator position, up to 30km/h. After that, it's wind and tyre noise.

“An electric vehicle’s sound defines its identity,” says VW’s Dr Frank Welsch. “The sound should be confident and likeable. It may well sound futuristic and must also impress with its unique character.”

Is the ID.3’s noise confident, and likeable?