Hacker News Reader

Comment by jeremyrwelch | Hacker News Reader

Excellent interview with Formula E founder: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrTbdKe0XTo

Best quote, when asked if he thought we could end our dependence on oil: "The stone age didn't end because we ran out of stones."

Really important to understand that this is just the first iteration of their plan. Goal is to get to single car for a full hour race within a few years. Agag says they now have many major cities approaching them about participating in the second year of Formula E, including San Francisco.

Also, the cars are louder than most people realize, at 80 decibels.

View on HN

It's all relative. 80 decibels in the day isn't that loud. It's the sound of a vacuum cleaner. At night on the other hand 80db is loud. Considering that the F1 are 140DB the sound differences are massive.

Just to add to this, 140dB isn't about twice as loud as 80dB as the units might lead you to believe, since the scale is logarithmic: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decibel

These FE cars are MUCH quieter than their F1 cousins.

Well, in terms of sound energy, but our hearing is also logarithmic, so 140dB will sound about twice as loud.

> an increase of 10db SPL is perceived to be approximately twice as loud

From http://trace.wisc.edu/docs/2004-About-dB/

So it's really 2^6 = 64x as loud, perceptually.

To update that number, the new turbocharged engines required in Formula 1 since 2014 are much quieter (to some fans' dismay), maxing out around 100 dB.

http://www.marca.com/2014/01/30/motor/formula1/1391085772.ht... (Spanish)

Still I'd rather be listening to a 80db combustion motor spinning up and turbo whining, occasional back fires, flames from exhaust etc.. than a 80db electric buzz box ;-) I'm sure most race-car fans would agree.

Have you heard one? They sound pretty good - more like the scream of a gas turbine than a "buzz box".

I grew up near a F1 track during the "big bang" turbo era (1,350+HP from a 1.5 litre engine that would only last 3 alps in qualifying trim)[1]. I'm pretty sure we'll never hear engines like those in circuit races again, and I'm not sure that's a bad thing.

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formula_One_engines#1966.E2.80....

Not me. I used to go to the Sinapore F1. Even with ear plugs it was painful next to the track. It wore me out and really reduced my enjoyment. I for one welcome our new electric masters. I hope Singapore is one of the first to host. I'd definitely attend.

80dB is below the legal limit for street vehicles in many states. That's pretty quiet. I've owned a few cars with exhaust louder than that.

Fair point, the sound levels are similar to a street legal car.

But the important point is they are NOT silent. There's still a rush to hearing them zip by while in the stands.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com