Citing safety reasons, the regulator said Thursday new hybrid and electric vehicles sold in Canada will be required to have minimum levels of noise, and “the volume and pitch must allow a road user to hear if a vehicle is speeding up or slowing down.”  (The Logic)

Talking point: EVs use lithium-ion batteries—like your phone or laptop—and thus operate near silently, which could become dangerous as Ottawa forces automakers to make zero-emissions vehicles a fifth of new car sales by 2026. Groups like the Canadian National Institute for the Blind and Canadian Hard of Hearing Association have raised concerns about quiet EVs and e-bikes. Automakers have already begun implementing safety sounds as governments around the world weigh how to handle the electric-vehicle shift. For instance, Ontario auto-parts supplier Axiom Group said earlier this year that its wheel-well liners for EVs are sound-proofed to ensure drivers aren’t distracted by the tires’ noise on the road—normally drowned out by the engine. Transport Canada’s requirement came into effect on Wednesday.