Evaluating Vibration Test Profiles for Battery Electric and Hybrid Vehicles

As the automotive industry transitions to electrification, understanding the differences in ambient operating vibration environments between conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) propulsion systems, battery electric vehicles (BEVs), and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) becomes increasingly important. Many automotive vibration testing standards provide frequency and amplitude test levels based on historical ICE vehicle data. Some standards note the potential inaccuracies of using this data source to test BEVs/HEVs and recommend using field-recorded data, if possible, while others make no note. Preliminary comparisons of BEV, HEV, and ICE vehicle ambient operating vibration environments show variations due to battery cell pack weight and engine vibration, among other factors. As accurate testing is tantamount to vehicle safety and longevity, the automotive testing industry must confirm the suitability of current test standards for BEVs and HEVs or create new ones. This paper reviews real-world vibration characteristics measured on the chassis and powertrain components and systems of three vehicle architectures: ICE, BEV, and HEV. It compares the influence of powertrain architecture on vibration levels and frequencies, expressed through the fatigue damage spectrum (FDS), which models damage response. This paper discusses the implications of suitable test levels for component design, reliability, and vibration testing, offering insights for vehicle development and optimization.