GKN Automotive has created a ‘real-time’ test rig capable of handling the unique requirements of electric vehicles.
The rig, installed at GKN Automotive’s Offenbach facility, can handle the extreme dynamics and higher torque of electrified powertrains, which make conventional load test rigs unsuitable for driveline parts of the latest generation, such as side shafts.
The ‘real-time capable’ unit can test specific load data provided by customers, from small electric city cars to the most powerful SUVs and is able to dynamically control speed and torque to replicate wheelspin and other complex driving conditions. This sets new industry standards for precision and quality control in the testing of electric vehicle components and enables engineers to deliver the lightest, most efficient solutions with no compromise on capability.
It was early to identify that a new testing regime would be required to replicate the different load characteristics of electric motors compared to those of conventional combustion engines.
Data must be selected and validated by the team to establish parameters for the test, and the system must be carefully calibrated during set up to accurately replicate precise load dynamics.
