Hardware integration is testing and verification of multiple components together into one integrated setup. Watch & read the challenges our engineers are facing.
This is done at various levels to verify interfacing and control strategies between these components as early as possible. The key components for charging and driving Lightyear One are the in-wheel motors, the inverters, the batteries (high & low voltage), the on-board charger and the solar converters. Integrating and testing all those necessary and own developed components together for the first time, is an exciting moment.
In the video, you can see that our colleagues Davy Bijnen (System Architect) and Bart Kramer (Mechatronics Engineer) explain what a Hardware Integration Test really consists of and what it means for Lightyear One’s development. These findings will help us to create a better performing prototype in terms of range and efficiency, also called the energy consumption per kilometre. To validate the energy consumption, we are running various standardized automotive cycles, such as the Artemis and the WLTP cycle.
Top view of the Hardware Integration Test setup. On the right you see Motor test bench 1, test bench 2 at the top, a high-voltage battery in the middle, Motor test bench 3 in the upper left corner, our Thermal test setup on the left and Motor test bench 4 at the bottom.
Lightyear engineers doing various automotive cycle tests during the Hardware Integration tests.
About Lightyear’s technology
As our world moves to more sustainable energy sources, Lightyear is driving the development of clean mobility in the automotive industry. By enabling electric vehicles to be scalable for everyone, everywhere, we will accelerate the sustainability transition and have a positive impact.
Our technology is engineered to enable a clean future. Starting from scratch and using a holistic design approach we developed an ultra energy-efficient long-range solar car. Our technology redefines performance with what truly matters: efficiency.
