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BMW Recruits Hans Zimmer in Creation of New Electric Vehicle Sounds

You heard that right.

We’ve come a long way from the original strident tones of single-horn expletives, and the future is no less saturated with brilliant minds looking to put a new twist on an old concept.

Meet German-born composer Hans Zimmer; Zimmer intends to bring life to the whine of EV energy in ways that will have EV customers relaxed and smiling, and I am intrigued at his new job.

According to Visordown, BMW hired Zimmer in the hopes that the composer and the technicians of BMW would be able to work together to create a thrilling, emotion-evoking sound in equivalency to the M sport‘s motor. This is quite the challenge, especially since the full sensory experience may mean suppressing the original sounds of the battery and motor to allow a better connection between customer and vehicle.

“Right now,” Zimmer says, “we are at a really exciting point, shaping the sound of the future. BMW was so kind to give me another orchestra to play with – called the car.”

Partnership for BMW from left to right, Jens, thinner, senior Vice President of BMW, and BMW Sound Designer Renzo Vitale

If you think about it, Zimmer could set a whole new trend with this partnership. EVs that thrum and roar in response to a nudge or a stomp of the ‘gas’ pedal could go over extremely well with users desiring the feel of horsepower without having to sacrifice fossil fuel to get it. The resultant sound portfolio – dubbed the ‘IconicSounds Electric Program’ – will initially only be available in BMW models that sport a fully electric or hybrid system, but one can dream, right? Imagine an e-motorcycle with special effects, roaring on the thoroughfares, drumrolls upon arrival to destination…snazzy.

The real question is if this program will be customizable (or even removable) for clients needing a more delicate sensory experience.

Take a look at the video at the top of this article to get the opinion of the masterminds behind BMW’s new ‘IconicSounds Electric Program.’