The German music legend is helping BMW with emotional sound for BMW electric cars.

An unintended consequence of electric vehicles is their silence. Although the idea of a vehicle that makes no engine noise might be appealing to urban planners, it creates some significant issues for brands and pedestrians.

People have become accustomed to trusting their acoustic awareness when walking near or crossing roads. Without engine noise, the risk for accidental pedestrian collisions with electric vehicles dramatically increases.

The other problem is the emotional connection that an engine sound signature has. Especially for a brand steeped in performance car history, such as BMW.

In an attempt to manage its transition into a silent future mobility fleet, BMW has contracted one of the world's most celebrated film score composers, to help.

The man in question is Hans Zimmer. He has composed some of the best accompanying film music in history, including petrolhead Hollywood hits such as Days of Thunder. Most will recognize his music in films such as Gladiator, Pirates of the Caribbean, Interstellar and even The Lion King.

Zimmer teamed with BMW sound designer, Renzo Vitale, to create new sounds for the BMW battery vehicles. The pitch and resonance of these sounds will vary as drivers use various power modes.

BMW is also using Zimmer sounds to help alert drivers when they open the door, and more importantly, start the vehicle.

And BMW M-cars? There will be a unique performance sound for them with a customer having the option, to upgrade to more powerful speakers.

“Every BMW has its own character, which is reflected in the sound it makes,” Zimmer said in a statement. “So for the electrically driven BMW M models, we have developed a driving sound which accentuates their emotional driving experience particularly vividly and ensures their performance can be felt with even greater intensity.” The first vehicles to undergo 'Zimmer sound' enhancements are the BMW i4, its M version and the BMW iXwhich will be coming to SA in 2022.

The sounds will also project into the driven environment, beyond any battery-powered BMW’s cabin. At low speeds, it will be adequate for a pedestrian to notice, fading in volume as cruising speed increases.

For BMW traditionalists, where an Akrapovic exhaust system was the peak sound signature upgrade not too long ago, things are changing. Swiftly.

Related content

BMW iX Coming to SA in 2022

BMW M3 and M4 xDrive Revealed

BMW M8 Competition Convertible (2021) Review