I can't help notice that all of the TV commercials for high end cars these days feature roaring ICE engines. BMW, Mercedes, Lexus -- they all do it. With the Model S setting a different standard I wonder how soon this will become an aural symbol of something very different: waste, toxic exhaust, and a blast from the past.
Tesla likely won't do it in the short run, but perhaps someone else will -- make a commercial about the silence.
Remember the commercial with "silence around the kitchen table"? Ignore the political content for a moment, that's not my point.
Unlike the "trying to get your attention by muting the volume" (so you have to read the screen which is annoying when you're in the kitchen mostly ignoring the commercials...), the "mostly quiet" scene with the sound
on commercials can be pretty powerful.
Now consider the "guy in a classic car" commercial where he stops to fix something while travelling, again ignore the specifics of the advertisement (I think it's for viagra or somesuch) but rather focus on the tone they were going for.
The Tesla version goes something like this...
Guy is talking to the camera about why he bought the car. Think about the Adam Carolla video where he's watching the road, but talking throughout -- casually. (Gets across the car is effortless, not demanding your attention to switch gears, etc.) He talks about how he's not really a greenie (anti-green audience), but it makes his wife (married audience) happy and... yah, it's probably a good idea to go EV anyway. (green audience)
All the while during the drive, he's flooring it at every light but without really trying. (mid-life crisis audience) A couple glances at the speedometer as it accelerates from the lights. (acceleration junkies) And more glances at the pedals as he coasts to a stop. (relaxed 1 pedal driving) Driver stops to take a drink from his water bottle, and there's the distinct absence of anything but road noise. (the silence we're discussing)
Next light arrives and he pulls up next to a couple of teenagers hot rodding a classic road terror [tuned up mustang, or somesuch] and an elegant spendy speeder [porsche perhaps]. They're revving heavily and take off at the light. Because he was finishing off his drink when the light changed, he starts late but ends up passing the noisy racers and the peaceful quiet returns. (real car, no EV perf penalty)
He resumes discussing the specs of the vehicle, and makes a stop to pick up kids at school -- 3 in the rear seat -- while the conversation continues with the friend (camera) in the front seat. (family compatible)
Anyway, you get the drift.