Audi has opened a new electric-charging test center in Inglstad, where electric Audi models are tested under various global charging conditions including 110 or 230 volts and 50 or 60 Hz similar to areas such as China and the United States. This allows Audi to include real -world testing results in vehicle research and development, ensuring that customers worldwide have the best charging experience. Audi is one of the first vehicle manufacturers to use a flexible grid simulator to begin the operation earlier this year. The simulator, located in the center, can repeat voltage and grid configurations from non-European Union countries using charging stations from several manufacturers. Developed in partnership with Bosch Rexoroth in partnership with Schmitbaur, the installation enables Audi to test based on real -world conditions in various global markets.
Global power grids vary in configuration, voltage and frequency, even if the power is accessible with sockets worldwide. For example, devices designed for 120 volts and 60 Hz, which are common in North America, cannot work on 230 volts and 50 Hz standard in Europe. “With the grid simulator, we can test whether our models can successfully charge at the US or China stations, for example,” Says Project Manager Daniel Ateinger.
The flexible 500 kw simulator was developed by Bosch Rexroth in collaboration with Audi – especially for Audi. The new system can distribute voltage between 100 and 540 volts and frequencies between 40 and 65 Hz. It supports single-phase, two-phase and three-phase networks, as well as partition-phase operations.
In the premises of his own factory, Audi Engineers are using an electric-bearcining test center with their grid simulator to achieve significant insights in interacting on electric car and charging stations. They then apply their newly acquired knowledge to make the vehicle software better for charging stations used worldwide and to improve the charging performance of the Audi model. The effort saves time and money, as it reduces the need for extensive testing abroad. At the same time, customers benefit from a charging experience that is individually designed for local conditions – so that charging in all four corners of the world is even faster and easy.
