The Technical Union for the Automobile Motorcycle and Cycle Industries (UTAC) has officially opened its all new 4WD VTEC (Variable Temperature Emissions Chamber) facility, allowing agricultural and off-highway vehicle engineers to conduct a wider range of powertrain tests with greater accuracy, at temperatures as low as -20°.
The facility is located at UTAC Millbrook in the UK.
The new facility enables engineers to test the performance of agricultural and other off-highway vehicles with up to 20t axle weight and a simulated loading of up to 60t.
It can facilitate testing of vehicles with a wheelbase up to 8m. The facility offers more representative simulation of drive cycles and operation according to UTAC.
4WD testing
The new 4WD VTEC facility allow manufacturers of agricultural and off-highway vehicles to prove the thermal stability of a vehicle’s engine during operation under various ambient conditions.
UTAC added that the facility is also fully equipped to measure the energy consumption and range of conventional, hybrid and electric vehicles.
UTAC said that the facility is also able to support testing of hydrogen-fuelled vehicles.
Laurent Benoit, chief executive officer at UTAC said:
In the development of the all new 4WD VTEC facility our engineers have worked hard to ensure that the agricultural and off-highway sector has everything it needs to perform more accurate powertrain tests in a controlled environment.
“The introduction of this facility is an important step in ensuring that we remain at the leading edge of testing and development, now and in the coming decades, for heavy duty vehicles.”
