Cambustion Launches Powertrain-in-the-Loop Testing Platform for Electrified Vehicles
The new system allows OEMs to validate high-voltage systems using a 1,100 V, 500 kW battery simulator before physical prototypes are ready.
Powertrain testing specialist Cambustion has launched a Powertrain in the Loop (PiL) testing platform at its Hub Dyno facility in Cambridge, UK. The new system is designed to help automotive OEMs integrate, develop, and validate vehicle systems before physical vehicles are available.
What Happened
The launch follows a 12-month test program in which the PiL platform supported the development of a hybrid supercar. According to Cambustion, the system allows real hardware to run alongside simulated subsystems through Hardware-in-the-Loop (HiL) capability. This enables engineers to validate functionality and investigate system interactions in real time, even when chassis and supporting subsystems are not yet physically available. The facility combines vehicle simulation and HiL with measurement capabilities to optimize control strategies and system performance early in the development cycle. For electric vehicle powertrains, customers can use a 1,100 V, 500 kW battery simulator to stand in for physical batteries, allowing the assessment and development of high-voltage systems including electric drives. Additionally, the temperature-controlled test cell operates down to -15° C to assess performance under worst-case operating scenarios.
Why It Matters
This development allows manufacturers to begin vehicle-level testing earlier in the production timeline, potentially accelerating the validation of electrified powertrains. By enabling systems to be debugged and optimized while vehicle build continues in parallel, OEMs may reduce the time required to bring new models to market. Bruce Campbell, Director at Cambustion, noted that during the recent hybrid supercar program, the Hub Dyno proved so valuable that the customer continued PiL testing alongside prototype vehicle testing throughout the entire program. The capability to reproduce transient operating conditions, from legislative drive cycles to torque vectoring functions, provides a comprehensive environment for validating complex vehicle dynamics.
The Bottom Line
Cambustion’s new PiL platform offers a bridge between component testing and full vehicle validation, allowing OEMs to simulate critical subsystems like batteries and chassis dynamics before physical prototypes are ready.
