Fleet Transport June 2020

56 | INSIDER
Simulated drivetrain tests done and dusted
at Ford Dunton
Facing the main entrance to the Ford Dunton Campus
outside London is a life-sized sculpture of Henry Ford,
the founder of the global automotive company. As he
looks towards the many halls and walls, Henry (along with his
Cork ancestors) must be very proud of what the renowned ‘blueoval’
brand has achieved and continues to achieve in terms of
innovation, meeting ever-changing customer and social trends.
But behind the scenes, many do not know what goes on in relation
to product development and in meeting ever-changing legislation.
This also includes extensive engine and drivetrain testing ……
to the extreme.
Fleet Van & Utility joined the commercial vehicle trade press to
get an exclusive guided tour of the many test facilities inside the
Dunton Campus, which are divided into numerous laboratories.
For example, Ford’s Advanced Propulsion Laboratory (APL)
monitors fuel efficiency and emission levels for its light commercial
vehicles by accurately simulating drive cycles and driver behaviour
in prepared lab conditions. Instead of using human drivers, robots
put in the time, adapting to passive, normal and sporty driving
styles to help improve the robustness of powertrain calibrations.
Real-world drive cycles are simulated to measure the full scope of
emission cycles.
It’s all to do with Real Driving Emissions (RDE) which have replaced
the previous World Harmonised Light Vehicle Tests (WLTP)
standards. Ford’s Dunton Campus Emissions Laboratory plays an
important role in certifying that its commercials meet and exceed
these requirements for fuel consumption and exhaust emission
levels. Within these highly secured and padded rooms, using chassis
roller dynamometers, temperature controlled tests from -40 o C to
+55 o C are simulated. Snow and dust particles are added during the
process to mimic real life conditions during the tests which can last
for days on end. All powertrains are catered for petrol, diesel and
electrified. The APL has recently been upgraded to enable Ford to
carry out battery performance tests on its new mild hybrid, plug-in
hybrid and all-electric vehicles. Also, to ensure the emission results
on rollers are replicated in real-world driving, the Ford test vehicles
are also tested and measured on public roads to RDE and WLTP
standards.
At the Environmental Test Laboratory (ETL) there are four primary
vehicle test chambers, supported by a soak room and transfer area
with six separate rooms that can accommodate a total of 12 vehicles.
The vehicles that are placed inside are also subject to ‘real world’
altitude tests from 91 metres below sea level – equivalent to Death
Valley in California to 3,658 metres above sea level – on par with La
Paz in Bolivia. Chamber 1, for instance, features a 3-metre diameter
main fan that can reach airflow (road) speeds up to 225 km/h, while
the four-wheel drive chassis dyno can replicate up to 250 km/h.
*We managed to stay inside one of the chambers at -40 o C for a few
minutes which froze the pants off us! We were also informed that a
prominent beauty magazine and leading cosmetic manufacturer used
this extreme temperature facility to contrast and compare new mascara
products!
FLEETVAN&UTILITY | Summer 2020
Text & Photos: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fleet.ie