Multi-Band Frequency Approach to Correlate Proving Ground and Road Simulator for an Electric Two-Wheeler

Real-world usage subjects two-wheelers to complex and varying dynamic loads, necessitating early-stage durability validation to ensure robust product development. Conducting a full life-cycle durability testing on proving grounds is time-consuming, extremely difficult for the riders involved, and costly, which is why accelerated testing using rigs such as the road simulator system have become a preferred approach. The use of road simulators necessitates, accurately measured inputs and precise simulation to ensure proper actuation of the rig, thereby enabling realistic representation of road undulations. Road Load Data Acquisition (RLDA) is used to measure various inputs such as displacement, acceleration, strain, and predicted forces from the road which are then used to simulate real-world conditions in a road simulator. This paper covers two important aspects essential for achieving an accurate and clear representation of road simulation in a 4-DOF road simulator, encompassing both longitudinal and vertical simulations at the front and rear of the vehicle. The first aspect involves the development of an instrumentation strategy for the two-wheeler, with careful identification of directionally sensitive locations on the sprung mass and the unsprung mass , to enable precise simulation of all four degrees of freedom within the road simulator. Secondly, a different simulation method is adapted based on the frequency response of the control inputs, enabling more efficient utilization of the measured parameters and ensuring accurate simulation. This selection was guided by results from the spectral data analysis of the response channels and the initial road simulator model output. Testing was conducted on the Ather 450 EV model across different proving ground test track, speeds, and loading conditions. By expediting the validation process, this approach allows for a quicker market launch of durable vehicles.