How Quiet Is the Cabin of the iCar V23 Electric SUV?

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The comfort of the cabin is one of the important factors when choosing a car, especially for an electric vehicle like the iCar V23. With no conventional engine noise, electric cars are generally quieter. But is the cabin truly silent in everyday use? To find out, I tested the cabin noise level of the iCar V23 using a decibel meter. The dB meter was placed in the middle of the cabin, just behind the centre console. This position was chosen because it is believed to represent the listening area of both front and rear passengers. There were three conditions tested: firstly, driving on asphalt at 60 km/h; secondly, driving on concrete at 60 km/h; thirdly, while the car was stationary with the engine running (idle). While moving on asphalt at 60 km/h, the average noise level recorded was 58.5 dB. The highest reached 71.1 dB, and the lowest was 55.8 dB. Overall, numbers in the 50–60 dB range are comfortable for conversations inside the cabin without raising voices. This indicates that the cabin damping of the iCar V23 while crossing asphalt is fairly good. At the same speed, 60 km/h, the average cabin noise reached 71.2 dB. The highest was 76 dB and the lowest 68.3 dB. There was a quite significant jump compared to when driving on asphalt. This is considered normal, because concrete surfaces produce more resonance from the tyre to the cabin. For reference, the figures approach the quiet ambience of a room inside a house. This is one of the advantages of electric cars, as there are no vibrations and no internal combustion engine noise. Although noise increases on concrete, the figures remain within the normal range for its class. Factors such as tyre type, tyre pressure, and road surface conditions also influence the results. Ultimately, a quieter cabin is not just about the numbers but about driving comfort. The less noise that enters, the more relaxed long journeys feel.