Coimbatore-based Amrita Automotive Research and Technology Centre (AARTC) has inaugurated a new e-Mobility Test Centre to support research, testing, and validation in electric vehicle (EV) technology. The facility is part of AARTC, a collaboration between Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham and Automotive Test Systems (ATS), and aims to enhance testing capabilities for EVs and related emerging technologies.
The facility was inaugurated by Latha Chembrakalam, Vice President and Head, Technical Centre India, Continental; A.S. Ramadas, Director, Global Automotive Research Centre (GARC); Rajesh D, Vice President, Electromobility, Volvo Group Truck Technology; and Bhaktha Keshavachar, CEO, Chara Technologies. Several industry representatives and university officials were present at the event.
AARTC provides research, consultancy, and testing services across the automotive lifecycle, including powertrain development, noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) analysis, vehicle dynamics, road load data acquisition (RLDA), vehicle simulation, and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). The facility houses a range of testing equipment, including 50 to 500kW dynamometers, coolant, fuel, and oil conditioning systems, emission monitoring systems, and HVAC. It also features a 150kW transient dynamometer for Euro-6/Bharat-VI emission testing for internal combustion engine (ICE) and hybrid vehicles.
The new e-Mobility Test Centre expands AARTC’s capabilities to electric powertrain testing, covering systems from 2kW to 48kW, and offers pre-homologation testing for EVs. Research efforts at Amrita University in battery management systems, ADAS, and autonomous navigation are also aligned with the facility’s objectives.
AARTC collaborates with various automotive companies, including Maruti, Bosch, Volvo, Renault Nissan, Cummins, TVS, Mahindra, Tata Motors, Hinduja Tech, Daimler, Pricol, Ford, and Fiat. The new facility is expected to contribute to advancements in EV technology and industry-academia partnerships.