This New Aftermarket Kit Will Make Your EV Sound Like a Muscle Car – Robb Report

EV makers have figured out how to replicate the performance of an internal combustion engine, but their sound is another matter completely.

That could be about to change for Ford Mustang Mach-E owners, according to Car and Driver. At this week’s SEMA show in Las Vegas, Borla showed off a new after-market accessory that will make the popular all-electric crossover sounds just like the muscle car it’s named after.

Harmful carbon emissions aren’t the only thing that an electric powertrain doesn’t produce—they don’t produce engine noise either. That’s because the motors that power your EV operate in near silence no matter how hard you put your foot down on the accelerator. This may not seem like a big deal to some, but for enthusiasts who feel that a high-performance vehicle should sound loud and proud, it’s a sticking point.

Now your EV can sound just like its gas-guzzling peers thanks to the exhaust specialists at Borla. The Active Performance Sound kit the company unveiled at SEMA is the result of a request from Shelby American, which was looking for a way to make its modified Mach-E GT sound more like the other muscle cars the brand is known for. The set includes a speaker which mounts underneath the rear of your vehicle, an amplifier, a wiring harness and a digital processor that connects to your EV’s canBUS system. Those last two elements are particularly vital as they sync accelerator pressure to the sound coming from the speaker.

The synthetic exhaust sound kit doesn’t just pump out generic engine noises, either. Currently, you can simulate one of three powertrains noise suites: the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, Chevrolet Camaro and C8 Corvette. We’re guessing Mustang Mach-E owners will go with the first, but some might want to shake things up. And if none of those sound appealing, don’t worry because more are on the way.

“We’re working with a synthesizer company right now to come up with notes that have nothing to do with internal combustion,” David Borla told the magazine earlier this week.

Borla plans to sell the kit soon, though pricing has yet to be announced. It’ll be interesting to see if it ends up costing more or less than one of the company’s exhaust systems for the gas-powered Shelby GT500, which range between $2,785 and $3,790.