First came the fake exhaust tips. Then came fake engine noises. Fake vents have always been a thing. But now the upcoming Dodge Charger EV will reportedly introduce an all-new form of deception: fake vibrations to mimic the rumble of a V8 engine.
The transition from internal combustion to electric has hit old school car enthusiasts pretty hard. The transition of an iconic muscle car like the Dodge Charger almost seems sacrilegious. Easing them into the change, according to a patent filed by parent company Stellantis and unearthed by Mopar Insiders, is a system called Active Vibration Enhancement.
AVE employs a force generator that transmits vibrations to the specific points on the vehicle body. The patent filing calls out steering wheel and seats as examples, but there could be other points as well. AVE will work in conjunction with the Active Sound Enhancement system, which replicates the sound of an ICE engine.
Both AVE and ASE are activated by signals from sensors monitoring the accelerator pedal position, electric motor speed, wheel speed and torque. Together, they provide what Stellantis describes as a "vibroacoustic experience".
The patent says that other benefits of the system include alerting "the driver that the vehicle is on and ready to drive because it provides audible and tactile feedback, which does not occur with other current electric vehicles and can lead to unintended vehicle movement." The ASE also doubles as a pedestrian alert.
The patent also describes something called the Exhaust Sound Enhancement system. The description sounds like the Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust that Dodge has teased before. The ESE uses a "tuned exhaust assembly" with external speakers that pipe noises through a mixing chamber, which then funnels the sound waves through a "simulated 'exhaust' port" so that the note sounds more acoustic than digital.
Marketing gimmicks to mimic power have been around as long as there have been cars. Remember the optional Shaker Hood on E-body Challengers? The new systems could help inject some personality into the electric Charger, or they might ring false, or they might feel charmingly nostalgic years from now. We'll see how the court of public opinion reacts when the Charger is revealed on March 5.
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