Hans Zimmer to orchestrate electric vehicle sounds for BMW - motorcycles too?
From Inception to Interstellar, film composer Hans Zimmer has been recruited by BMW to score the sound of their electric vehicles
BMW has enlisted the help of Hans Zimmer to compose the evocative sounds emitted by their electric vehicle range - initially it will be for cars only, but no doubt motorcycles and scooters will follow.
German-born Zimmer will work with the Bavarian automobile manufacturer to bring life to the whine of an electric motor - and as mentioned in the short video, BMW want to continue the full audible experience that an M sport motor can evoke, but for electric owners.
Whether it’s noises played into the cockpit, or somehow altering the actual noise of the magic that happens with a battery and motor (baffling stuff) is yet to be seen, although I’d imagine the former is probably true.
How does this BMW news relate to electric motorcycles?
Well, good question. From RideApart, BMW has set up the BMW IconicSounds Electric program to “bring an unmistakable sound portfolio to BMW models powered by a fully electric or plug-in hybrid drive system.” Namely the BMW iX & BMW i4 (with its own M model).
Electric vehicles have a distinct lack of sound, unless it’s really pushed to pump out top speeds - I’m thinking of the LiveWire tests at Motorcycle Live some time ago, you could hear it scream like a banshee from outside the hall.
If they’re looking for beautiful sounds, they’ve certainly done well with Academy Award winner Hans Zimmer. He’s well known for creating epic soundtracks, and the soundtrack to the BMW range is often just as important to the pilot as the ride - so it’d make sense if there consult him for electric motorcycles & scooters too.
I’d love to ride along with the soundtrack to Inception playing beneath me. Perhaps it would play faster the quicker I go.
Image: the BMW team figuring our where to put the speaker
As of yet, we’ve only seen the CE-04 electric scooter, but BMW has previously confirmed their intentions to create an electric motorcycle. As is the way with the ‘big’ manufacturers wanting to jump in on the electric wave.
In any case, have a watch of the BMW & Hans Zimmer video here, listen out for the electric motor running towards the end.
