Nissan Leaf to Sound Like “Blade Runner”

The debate about the silent running of electric vehicles, and the potential for disaster with blind pedestrians or oblivious kids who can’t hear them, has been simmering for a couple of years now, ever since hybrids like the Toyota Prius began running on electric power alone at low speeds.

Nissan says its new Leaf electric vehicle, which will hit U.S. markets in late 2010, will make a “beautiful and futuristic” noise like the flying cars in the movie “Blade Runner.” Once the Nissan Leaf hits 12 mph, the sound will turn off, as the tires turning on the pavement will make enough sound to alert pedestrians and bikers alike, according to the L.A. Times “Up to Speed” blog.