Wed. Feb 19th, 2025

Electric vehicles may now be charged at Audi in Ingolstadt using 110 or 230 volts or 50 or 60 hertz, just as if they were in China, the United States, or any other country in the world. Technical Development is evaluating electric Audi models in the new electric-charging test center on the Ingolstadt campus under conditions similar to those seen in the various sales locations. The results are incorporated directly into the research and development of the vehicles. This means that clients always get the optimal charging experience, regardless of where they are in the world.

Audi was one of the first automakers to run a flexibly adaptable grid simulator, which began earlier this year in Ingolstadt. The simulator is the focal point of the Technical Development division’s electric-charging test laboratory, which includes charging stations from a variety of manufacturers from many nations. The grid simulator enables non-EU charging stations to function with the required voltage and grid configuration. This allows Audi to undertake field testing in conditions similar to those observed in several sales locations across the world. Bosch Rexroth created the power grid simulation installation in partnership with Schmidbaur.

Significant disparities in worldwide electricity networks

Power may flow out of the socket everywhere, but when we look at the different sockets, we realize that not all power is the same. This is because the design, voltage, and frequency of electricity networks vary.

If a gadget is intended for a voltage of 120 volts and 60 hertz, as is customary in North America, it will not work with 230 volts and 50 hertz, which is standard in Europe. “With the grid simulator, we can test whether our models can successfully charge with charging stations in the US or China, for example,” says project manager Daniel Ettinger.

Bosch Rexroth collaborated with Audi to create the flexible 500 kW simulator, designed exclusively for Audi. The new system can output voltages ranging from 100 to 540 volts and frequencies ranging from 40 to 65 hertz. It is compatible with single, two, and three-phase networks, as well as split-phase operation.

Audi engineers are utilizing the electric-charging test facility, which includes a grid simulator, on their production grounds to get valuable insights into how electric cars and charging stations interact. They then utilize their newly obtained expertise to better adapt car software to the charging stations regularly used across the world, as well as to increase the charging performance of Audi vehicles. The initiative saves time and money by eliminating the need for comprehensive testing elsewhere.

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