Improvement effect of popularization of new energy vehicles on urban road traffic noise in Suzhou urban area

Road traffic noise pollution has become increasingly severe in urban areas. Unlike traditional fuel-powered vehicles， new energy vehicles （NEVs） rely on distinct power sources， endowing them with inherent noise reduction advantages during operation. However， the specific improvement effect of NEV adoption on the quality of the urban traffic sound environment remains unclear. Based on real-time road traffic noise monitoring data collected in the urban area of Suzhou from 2020 to 2023， this study employs ArcGIS spatial analysis， grey correlation analysis， and other methods to systematically evaluate the impact of NEV penetration on the spatiotemporal characteristics of road traffic noise pollution and its mitigation effects. The results indicate that： 1） The nighttime noise compliance rate is significantly lower than that during daytime； the annual noise trough and peak occur in February and July， respectively. Traffic noise is closely correlated with motor vehicle activity—peak-hour noise levels exhibit minimal fluctuations， while non-peak-hour noise values show a gradual downward trend. Nighttime noise exceedance periods are concentrated around 22：00 and 04：00—06：00. 2） Noise pollution is most severe on arterial and secondary roads， commercial hubs， and roads adjacent to university towns， whereas scenic areas and residential districts experience relatively mild pollution. 3） Traffic congestion is identified as a key contributing factor to noise pollution. With the continuous increase in NEV penetration， non-peak-hour traffic noise has decreased significantly， demonstrating the positive mitigation effect of NEVs on traffic noise during this period.