30 km/h is the maximum speed allowed in many cities (and a growing number of them) and even in cities where 50 km/h is allowed, the average speed is apparently around 30 km/h when traffic is minimal (in France, according to [0]) and 15 km/h otherwise. I think it's safe to say that electric cars reduce noise in cities, in fact I can observe it every day myself from my house.
That's why electric cars are required to emit an artificial noise when driving under 30 km/h to alert the visually impaired pedestrians. The Renault Zoe car makes a very strange noise, almost like an alien flying saucer from a 60s movie.
I understand the need for these noisemakers, having been startled a few times by electric cars moving at walking speeds as without a noisemaker, they are effectively silent.
But these weird spaceship noises, I hate them, and for some reason, dogs seem the hate them too. So unnatural. I much prefer more typical noise like white noise, like a fan running. I think that studies have shown that white noise is particularly good for that purpose as the source can be located easily.
Edit: Source https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Propulsion-noise-the-tyr...