An electric vehicle includes: a main frame extending in a vehicle front-rear direction; and a sound generation device disposed at one or more locations at a front portion and/or a rear portion of the electric vehicle such that sound from the sound generation device is audible to pedestrians and riders of other vehicles thereby alerting movement of the electric vehicle.

An inspection signal generator of an acoustic device outputs a first inspection signal. An amplifier receives a first reference signal, and outputs a second inspection signal according to the first inspection signal. A first detector is electrically connected to an output side of the amplifier, and outputs a first detection signal based on the second inspection signal. The first detector is electrically connected to the output side of the amplifier, and outputs the first detection signal based on the second inspection signal. A determiner compares a first detection signal output from the first detector with a preset determination reference signal so as to detect electrical abnormality between a ground terminal and an output terminal electrically connected to the output side of the amplifier.

An enclosure expansion type virtual engine sound system is provided. The system includes an enclosure case having a case enclosure accommodating a speaker to which a virtual engine sound is output and an enclosure back beam with an internal space divided into a speaker enclosure and a expanded enclosure as an extended space of the case enclosure for low band amplification of the engine sound and a space in which the engine sound is output in three directions. Accordingly, the enclosure back beam implements a low band amplification function in addition to a crash absorbing function. The engine sound is output in three directions through an internal space of the enclosure back beam, thereby solving a space restriction of a narrow engine room while satisfying regulations of the speaker.

This invention concerns a sound and performance emulator (1) for an electric propulsion vehicle (100) with a first sensor (2) to emit a clutch signal (2a) relative to the position of a clutch (101) of the electric propulsion vehicle (100); a second sensor (3) to emit a gear signal (3a) relative to the position of a gear-switch (102) of the electric propulsion vehicle (100); a control unit (4) which receives an acceleration signal (5) relating to an accelerator position (103) of the electric propulsion vehicle (100); a vehicle speed signal (6) and/or an engine revolutions signal (7) relating to the engine revolutions (RpmExt) of the electric motor (104); the clutch signal (2a); and the gear signal (3a). The control unit (4) calculates a simulated engine revolutions value (RpmFinal) and a simulated gear inserted value (GearInserted) of a simulated endothermic combustion vehicle. The control unit (4) provides a requested simulated torque value and/or an output throttle signal (OutputThrottle) to be sent to the electric propulsion vehicle (100) to control it.

An enclosure expansion type virtual engine sound system is provided. The system includes an enclosure case having a case enclosure accommodating a speaker to which a virtual engine sound is output and an enclosure back beam with an internal space divided into a speaker enclosure and a expanded enclosure as an extended space of the case enclosure for low band amplification of the engine sound and a space in which the engine sound is output in three directions. Accordingly, the enclosure back beam implements a low band amplification function in addition to a crash absorbing function. The engine sound is output in three directions through an internal space of the enclosure back beam, thereby solving a space restriction of a narrow engine room while satisfying regulations of the speaker.

Control method for a vehicle comprising the steps of: providing a memory unit comprising a plurality of audio files corresponding to the sound of a gear shift in a number of predefined operational configurations as a function of at least one vehicular state variable; detecting a gear shift request from a driver to a gear shifting system interface device; detecting an actual operational configuration as a function of the at least one vehicular state variable;

selecting one of the audio files stored in the memory unit corresponding to the sound of a gear shift as a function of the actual operational configuration; playing the selected audio file at least within a passenger compartment of the road vehicle.

A control system for an electric vehicle configured to allow a driver to enjoy behaviors of conventional vehicles having an engine and a transmission more realistically, without impairing comfort and quietness of the electric vehicle. In a virtual AT mode, a target torque value of a motor with respect to a motor speed is changed stepwise in accordance with an operating range shifted automatically, and a simulated engine sound is emitted. The emission of the simulated engine sound is continued until the virtual AT mode is cancelled and a shift lever is moved to a drive position.

A control system for an electric vehicle (Ve) configured to allow a driver to enjoy behaviors of conventional vehicles having an engine and a transmission more realistically, without impairing comfort and quietness of the electric vehicle (Ve). An operating mode of the electric vehicle (Ve) is selected from a first mode to a fourth mode. In the third mode a driver is allowed to enjoy a virtual shifting operation and a simulated engine sound is emitted. In the fourth mode, an availability of the virtual shifting operation and the emission of the simulated engine sound are maintained. The third mode is cancelled by shifting to the first mode or the fourth mode; and the fourth mode is cancelled by shifting to the third mode.

A motor vehicle includes a fuel cell and a supply assembly to supply the fuel cell is disclosed. The supply assembly comprises a centrifugal compressor to compress a reagent and comprising an impeller having in turn a shaft portion extending along an inlet axis, a circumferential edge extending ringwise around the inlet axis, a connecting portion extending from the shaft portion to the circumferential edge, first and second blades projecting from the connecting portion, of which each of the second blades is arranged between two corresponding blades to form two respective radial flow channels for the reagent, wherein the first and second blades have respective profiles along respective curvilinear abscissae with shapes equal to each other and located uniformly distributed according to a period or angular step around the inlet axis, wherein the profiles of the second blades are shorter than those of the first blades.

A virtual engine signal system for a vehicle includes a first speaker provided on a front back beam of a vehicle, disposed to be directed toward a front side of the vehicle, and configured to output a virtual engine signal to the outside, a second speaker provided rearward of the first speaker, disposed to be directed toward a rear side of the vehicle, and configured to output a virtual engine signal to the outside, and a controller configured to transmit control signals to the first and second speakers so that the first and second speakers output the virtual engine signals in response to the control signals, the controller being configured to control the first and second speakers to adjust sound pressures of synthetic signals of the virtual engine signals of the first and second speakers at the front and rear sides of the vehicle.