Research

Mid summer of 2008, VDS produced the first VISION prototype in the Turin, Italy. Based on this experience, VDS GROEP T now develops a second prototype, the VISION GT. It will be assembled in spring 2009. The prototype will effectively be used for drive tests and endurance tests. The VISION GT will be a VDS GROEP T car: it will show the lightweight frame, electric motor and motor controller to the maximum. The power train, power steering, suspension and braking systems will be incorporated from another existing car. Our researchers won’t focus on these integration components; the innovative sub systems have our priority.

This academic year, the frame team will focus on composites in particular. They want to develop and build a 100% carbon composite frame. Our researchers also explore the possibilities of flax fibres, because they have an impressive low life cycle impact – which is the de facto target of VDS GROEP T. The frame will be produced in cooperation with several industrial partners.

The motor team finished the design of the PMSM motor in September 2008. This motor is obviously controller by the PMSM controller, which will be finished in Q2 2009. The production of the Switched Reluctance Motor is scheduled in Q1 2009. The VISION GT will be driven by a 30 KW SRM motor. The SRM motor has significantly better results in the life cycle analysis, compared to all other electric motors. Next to a cheap, fast and environment friendly production, it has a very high efficiency while in use.

The motor controller team will focus on two specific domains: the hardware implementation of the PMSM controller algorithm – both controller and high power electronics – and the first develop cycle of the SRM algorithm. In Q2 2009 VDS GROEP T will show their PMSM controller, and a first version of the SRM algorithm.

At this moment all VDS-teams across the globe have been working on the project for a considerable period and the time has come to evaluate the general state of affairs in the so called Design Review.

This third Vehicle Design Summit design review, the Critical Design Review (CDR), will be hosted by the VDS GROUP T Team in the city of Leuven, which is located 25 kilometres from Brussels. This event will take place from Friday, November 16 till Sunday, November 18.

The VDS GROUP T Team wants to kick off the CDR with a symposium on Environment-Friendly Transport Technology on Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, talks, individual team presentations and discussion moments will be used to review the design verification, the design analysis and preliminary systems level optimization. Next, VDS Org and SAT will present the assembly strategy for the first Vision and a long-term strategic plan.

In the days to follow, more detailed information will become available on our website, www.vehicledesignsummit.be.