With opportunities come challenges
When developing partially or fully electrified vehicles, engineers are faced with the challenge of perfectly synchronizing a variety of vehicle components in order to deliver the best driving experience possible to the customer while keeping emissions at a minimum and pushing the driving range to a maximum. Many factors that have to be coordinated and taken into consideration jack up the number of test scenarios. Real-world tests on roads are not only important cost drivers, they can also only be performed when a complete vehicle prototype is available.
How we at IPG Automotive address this problem
Our approach has already proven to be successful in joint projects with our partners and customers: Real-world tests on the road can be shifted to the virtual world by using our simulation software CarMaker. The real-time simulation of the vehicle and its surroundings provides a flexible development and test environment. In a few seconds, ambient conditions for example can be adapted effortlessly in simulation.
This enables early statements on e.g. the fast charge duration when developing Li-ion batteries. By connecting CarMaker to cell models from Batemo, we were able to show the impact of seasons as well as age and temperature of the electric battery on the charging speed using only virtual simulation. Cost and time efforts during development were thus significantly reduced: learn more
In addition to component-based tests, virtual test driving and the integration on powertrain test benches enable tests to be carried out at the full vehicle level early on in development – without the need for physical prototypes. Amongst other completed projects in 2021, we were able to demonstrate how we make RDE development more efficient by integrating CarMaker on test benches with our partner Horiba: read the article
That is what we want to build on for next year: Whether hybrid or fully electric – with our simulation solution, you are ready for the development and testing of propulsion systems according to individual requirements. Stay tuned for more customer and partner project in 2022 and how we accompany your development of powertrains in electrified vehicles.
