Sunshine on Demand – FEV Installs Solar Simulation System in US Vehicle Development Center Auburn Hills, Michigan

Auburn Hills, Michigan, January 2021 – FEV, a leading global service provider of vehicle and powertrain development for hardware and software, has upgraded its state-of-the-art Vehicle Development Center (VDC) in Auburn Hills with a solar loading system. This upgrade provides FEV an expanded offering of unique and comprehensive capabilities to support the development and certification of light-duty and medium-duty vehicles for customers worldwide.

The new solar loading system simulates natural sunlight in a precisely controlled laboratory setting. This capability is critical for evaluating the impact of vehicle air conditioning systems on full-electric range for hybrid and electric vehicles, and also plays an important role in evaluating emissions for vehicles with an internal combustion engine.

With the upgraded infrastructure, FEV now has the ability to perform important regulatory tests, including testing under U.S. regulations 40 CFR Part 1066. The added capabilities further entail the regulatory SC03 test cycle, which is part of the full five-cycle chassis dynamometer certification process for all light-duty and medium-duty vehicles, including EPA range certification for electric vehicles. Additionally, this upgrade now allows FEV to cover the full range from frigid arctic testing conditions to the sunny desert – all in a highly controlled setting in southeast Michigan.

The VDC, opened in 2019, provides full vehicle testing capabilities on a state-of-the-art 4WD chassis dynamometer. This includes FWD, RWD, and AWD capabilities paired with the ability to test in -20°C through 40°C, sized for vehicles of up to 11,000 pounds. This enables FEV to perform all global test cycles required by the respective regulatory agencies.

“We established the Vehicle Development Center to provide our customers with unique services, including climatic capabilities paired with full emissions measurement and EPA 40 CFR Part 1066 for chassis dyno emissions certification,” said Patrick Hupperich, president and CEO of FEV North America. “Just as the vehicle industry continues to evolve, so do our capabilities. This solar simulation system is one example, and now we are proud to offer our customers a complete range of development and testing capabilities for battery electric vehicles, as well as hybrid and conventional vehicles.”

About FEV

FEV has always pushed the limits.
FEV is a globally leading engineering provider in the automotive industry and internationally recognized leader of innovation across different sectors and industries. Professor Franz Pischinger laid the foundations by combining his background in academia and engineering with a great vision for continual progress. The company has supplied solutions and strategy consulting to the world’s largest automotive OEMs and has supported customers through the entire transportation and mobility ecosystem.

As the world continues to evolve, so does FEV.
That’s why FEV is unleashing its technological and strategic expertise into other areas, applying its forward thinking to the aerospace and energy sectors. Thanks to its software and system expertise, the company also leads the way making intelligent solutions available to everyone. FEV brings together the brightest minds from different backgrounds and specialties to find new solutions for both current and future challenges.

But FEV won’t stop there.
Looking ahead, FEV continues to push the limits of innovation. With its highly qualified 7,000 employees at more than 45 locations globally, FEV imagines solutions that don’t just meet today’s needs but tomorrow’s. Ultimately, FEV keeps evolving – to a better, cleaner future built on sustainable mobility, energy and software that drives everything. For the company’s partners, its people and the world.

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