My electric car has no sound ?

[Bill Dufour]

Model trains have had sound systems installed in the locomotives for decades. On board speakers for engine noise, whistle etc.
Bill D.

[Bob Turkovich]

This is nothing new. Back in the early 2000's, Honda installed underhood speaker systems on select models to enhance the drive-by noise. (Someone else may have done it sooner.) They were losing sales in the important young SoCal "street-racing" market as their vehicles were considered poor performers to their competition even though their acceleration numbers were comparable. They were too quiet and that resulted in an incorrect image. The improved sound significantly raised their perception and resulting sales performance.

The same could have been accomplished by re-tuning the exhaust and induction systems but this was quicker and didn't require recertification.

Active NVH systems (typically inside the passenger compartment) have become quite the norm since then but more for reducing noise than enhancing it.