Looking to reduce the silent danger from electric cars, the EU may require these vehicles to emit artificial noises to alert pedestrians. Some car makers are having a little fun with the type of sound their cars will emit. According to Lotus Engineering, their new Evora 414E Hybrid will shoot out a "futuristic sound a bit like Star Wars."

The vision of tranquil modern cities, with inhabitants gliding by silently in electric cars, may be shattered by European plans to introduce artificial warning sounds to the new generation of zero-emission vehicles. Some manufacturers may opt for an engine noise while others choose the sound of spacecraft from science fiction films.