Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive NVH development and sound design of an electric sports car

Abstract

Mercedes-AMG GmbH is known for its high-performance vehicles and driving concepts. In 2009, Mercedes-AMG launched it’s first entirely own car – the Mercedes- Benz SLS AMG. A derivative of the legendary super sports car, a fully electric vehicle was developed and launched in 2013. In this article, the NVH characteristics and sound enhancement system of this electric version are presented. Boasting 751 horsepower, the SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive is the most powerful electric passenger car on the market (see Figure 1). Considering the new powertrain setup, developing the NVH characteristics is an important challenge. Unlike in conventional cars, road noise or gear whine is not masked by a combustion engine in this car. One focus is on optimizing the auxiliary components for NVH response as well as coordinating the electric motor and transmission. To implement a sound design strategy, a synthetic sound system called ″SLS eSound″ was developed. The target objective is to achieve well-balanced sound enhancement to underscore the powerful presence of a sporty AMG car and the future of electric powertrain technology.