Over the past few weeks, Nissan has been letting us in on the advantages of driving a fully electric vehicle such as the LEAF. Apart from being friendly to the environment, the zero-emissions vehicle doesn’t really differ that much from a regular gasoline- or diesel-fed ride—save for the emissions coming from the tailpipe. Or lack thereof
But did you know that driving an EV can actually be good for your health? Studies by the World Health Organization have shown that noise pollution brought about by urban gridlock can be dangerous to one’s heart, blood pressure, and overall well-being. Prolonged exposure to urban traffic, which sually peaks at 90 dB (decibels) can cause elevated blood pressure, coronary artery disease, and even a heart attack.
This is because these levels are way above the recommended 50dB that can help reduce stress. Conversely, the sound of silence, such as what Nissan demonstrated via a street scenario with only the Nissan LEAF whirring in the background, produced a relaxing 21dB. Tht’s even quieter than a library, which registered something like 30dB.
Of course, we still have a long way to go before our roads are filled with silent and clean vehicles like the LEAF. But if Nissan had its way, we would be hearing the blissful sound of silence as we go about our way in our LEAFs and other Nissan EVs.
