Comparison of international vehicle testing cycles using simulation

Abstract

Over the last decades, one of the major risks faced by mankind has been the anthropogenic contribution to environmental pollution and degradation in general. This has posed a substantial burden on both human health and economy, so targets were set to minimize pollution. To guarantee that these targets are achieved by all vehicle manufacturers, testing procedures have been developed all over the world based on the data gathered from the driving patterns in that region. This paper compares driving cycles from three different regions: WLTC and NEDC (Europe), FTP (USA) and JC08 (Japan) with the aid of simulation. The aim was to evaluate the pollution performances in a controlled testing environment such that clear differences can be highlighted. After modelling these cycles using the AVL Cruise software, a Euro 6 vehicle was chosen to run on all four cycles, thus ensuring the same initial test conditions. By doing so, the authors were able to define the most demanding cycle for the vehicle in terms of fuel consumption and pollution level per unit distance.