Driving Sustainable Mobility: Upgrading the ICE Test Bed to EV Motor Test Bed
The automotive industry is undergoing a significant transformation as the world continues to focus on reducing carbon emissions and achieving sustainability. Electric vehicles (EVs) have gained market demand in recent years, and customers have moved to EVs due to their range, sustainability, and performance.
Testing and validation play a vital role. It ensures that your motor, battery cells, chargers, and electrical components for use in e-mobility comply with global safety requirements. As the automotive industry embraces the rapid shift towards electric vehicles (EVs), it becomes essential for testing facilities and R&D to adapt and upgrade their existing infrastructure to meet the new demands of EV development.
Understanding the need for the upgrade of the EV Motor test bed:
The transition from ICE vehicles to EVs is driven by several factors, including environmental concerns, cost, time, and evolving consumer preferences. An EV test bed provides a controlled environment for evaluating electric powertrains, motors, battery systems, and other crucial components. The installation of a new EV test bed system can indeed entail significant costs and delays in delivery and installation by test bed suppliers can potentially impact production timelines. These challenges can create a sense of urgency, as competitors may gain an advantage by staying ahead of the competition.
However, it is crucial to approach this situation strategically and proactively. One potential solution to address the challenges of cost and time associated with installing a completely new E Drive Test Bench system is to consider transforming the existing ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) test bed to an EV motor test bed. This approach offers several advantages, including cost-effectiveness and reduced implementation timelines.
Steps to Upgrade an ICE Test Facility to an EV Motor Test Facility
- The first step in upgrading includes the installation of high-voltage DC power supplies or battery emulators capable of simulating the power source or battery for the EV motor, particularly for heavy commercial vehicles.
- To ensure the safety and performance of the new technology in the automotive industry’s shift towards electric vehicles (EVs), minimal investment is needed to upgrade the testing infrastructure.
- Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) test beds have been a crucial tool for the automotive industry for decades. They have been used to test and develop internal combustion engines, transmissions, and other vehicle components.
- Transitioning from an ICE test bed to an EV motor test bed requires upgrading the control system, which involves upgrading the software and hardware used to control, monitor, and test the Electric vehicle or its component.
- Another important step in updating an ICE test bed to an EV motor test bench is to ensure that the test bed can simulate a wide range of EV motor types and configurations. EV motors have various drivetrain configurations depending on the type of vehicle, ranging from 2W to commercial vehicles.
- For 2W, we have hub motors that are directly mounted on the rare wheel and mid-drive motors where a belt drive or chain drive transmission is used with or without a gearbox to transmit the speed and torque to the wheel.
- From 3W to Heavy commercial vehicles. The e-axle is being used as a main drivetrain component, where the E-motor is directly connected to the differential of the vehicle. This enables the motor to transfer power to the wheels, propelling them forward. The motor and drivetrain components work together to convert the electrical energy stored in the battery into mechanical energy. This can result in a flawless and effective experience for the driver.
- To procure this effect, it’s additionally important to be able to test for different EV motor configurations, such as single motor, dual motor, and all-wheel drive.
- iASYS software (ORBIT) has all the required test cycles in-built according to international standards. To ensure that the updated test bed can simulate a heterogeneous assortment of electric vehicle drivetrain configurations, it is necessary to design and implement testing procedures that cover a broad range of scenarios and variables.
- By upgrading the Engine (ICE) test bench to an Electric Vehicle (EV) Motor test bed, companies can ensure that their EV motor test bed is capable of accurately and effectively testing the performance of electric motors.
Benefits of Upgrading the ICE Test Bed to an EV Motor Test Bed
Enables testing of both Electric Vehicle (EV) motor test beds and Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) engines
By upgrading, companies can benefit from the advantage of avoiding the need to install a completely new system. Moreover, this upgrade facilitates the testing of Electric Vehicle (EV) motor test beds and Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) engines on a shared test bed.
Minimal Investment
Companies can minimize the need for installing a new EV test bed, avoiding significant costs and potential delays associated with delivery and installation by test bed suppliers. This ensures uninterrupted production timelines while achieving the desired upgrade
Identify areas for Improvement
Through system upgrades, companies can identify areas for improvement and implement necessary refinements to enhance the overall EV driving experience. This process allows for continuous optimization and an improved driving experience for electric vehicle users
Time-saving efficiency
It eliminates the need to rely on the test bed supplier’s delivery and installation time, ensuring that the production process remains unaffected by potential delays. This streamlined approach helps save valuable time, allowing for uninterrupted production and maintaining optimal efficiency.
Conclusion
Upgrading from an ICE test bed to an EV test bed will be a strategic step for automotive manufacturers to embrace the electrified future. iASYS is a premier supplier of comprehensive testing solutions for EV motors. We offer an extensive suite of services to facilitate the transition of ICE test beds to E motor test beds, leveraging our expertise in advanced testing capabilities.
Our team specializes in upgrading legacy systems to meet the demands of the current industry landscape as well as those of our customers. We provide consultation on optimal equipment and infrastructure upgrades and seamlessly integrate and commission the upgraded test beds to ensure peak efficiency.
Get in touch to learn more about our EV testing solutions.
