Ashok Leyland, the Hinduja Group flagship organised a two-day symposium-cum-exhibition at its global R&D Centre in Vellivoyal Chavadi (VVC) near Chennai recently. The ‘Technology Day’, as rightly put, is an initiative to encourage a culture of innovation and celebrate engineering ideas and technological milestones of the Technical Centre.
The two-day program was earlier inaugurated by Dr. M.Y.S. Prasad, Director, Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota High Altitude Range, in the presence of Mr. Dheeraj G. Hinduja, Chairman, Ashok Leyland, and Mr. Vinod K. Dasari, Managing Director, Ashok Leyland.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Dasari said: “Technology Day is a forum aimed to bring our engineers face-to-face with cutting edge R&D from across the globe. In addition to gaining intense learning experience, our engineers get an opportunity to showcase their own research and innovations. Such engagements and forums help them keep abreast of latest technologies and apply them to develop world-class vehicles.”
The event comprised seminars where engineers at the centre had an opportunity to witness expert comments from various suppliers and also present their papers. An exposition was also organised in the centre that showcased the innovations achieved by the centre and the latest in R&D of leading OEMs like Amalgamations Valeo, Wabco, Bosch, Continental, Michelin, Dana, Allison Transmissions, Denso and Eaton. With its “Power Train Technology”, it focused on technical advancements relating to engines, drive train, hybrid electric technology and ethanol engine.
Zero-emission electric vehicles
The second edition of the annual event showcased the company’s concept vehicles, the zero-emission electric vehicles (ZEVs), that include the all-electric Dost LCV, a 10T electric truck, a 10T electric midi-bus and the Dost powered by an ethanol engine. The 2.25T eDOST is an electric light commercial vehicle that showcases a many innovations indigenously developed at the Technical Centre. With a payload carrying capability of 650kg, the vehicle can achieve 65 kmph and has a 50km electric range. Its 10T electric truck technology-demonstrator is powered by a 100hp motor coupled to an automatic transmission giving exceptional performance for its categories.
With an electric range of approximately 125km, depending on drive cycle, the batteries can be quick charged in 1.5 hrs with an off-board 40kW rapid charger. The vehicle can easily carry a payload of 4.6T and is ideally suitable for intra-city cargo and parcel delivery applications.
Ashok Leyland’s efforts come at a time when the Government is considering releasing funds under the National Mission for Electric Mobility Plan (NEMMP) to facilitate procurement of xEVs.
Ethanol driven LCV – Dost
Another technology demonstrator at the event, the LCV – Dost is powered by a 1.5 litres, three cylinders, Ethanol Engine. This engine developed in-house, supports energy independence and emission reduction. It allows the vehicles to operate flex fuel and can operate with specification ranging from E85 to E100. (E85 = 70 –86vol% of ethanol + petrol and E100 = Neat 100% ethanol). Its state-of-art ECU controls the Single point fuel Injection (SPFI) System, high-energy ignition system-designed for better performance and longer service intervals, improved spark plug and coil durability, engine sensors, actuators as well as self-diagnostics.
Interacting with the press during the occasion, Dr. N. Saravanan, Head of R&D, Ashok Leyland, said: “This forum serves as a platform to interact with our partners on a non-commercial basis. As a unique initiative we identify three to four projects of our engineers and call them as incubation projects. We identify and fund these ideas which we think is important to nurture leadership among our engineers. There are 40 presentations from our engineers at this year’s show. Lot of efforts have gone into the vehicle dynamics and NVH.”
The technical centre spreads over 130 acres approximately and is one of the largest test facilities for any vehicle OEM in the country. The campus has close to 1,000 engineers engaged in design and development of commercial vehicles and vehicle systems and is credited with rolling out many firsts in India like CNG buses, multi-axle and vestibule buses, etc. Almost two per cent of Ashok Leyland’s annual budget is spent on R&D, says Mr. Saravanan.
There are 13 doctorates with previous experience in leading MNCs at this centre. With this Technology Day, the centre has gained a lot of momentum. AL will also be launching an aspirational program called the “Technical Learning Program” shortly at the centre under the leadership of Dr. Saravanan.
As an important event of the day’s schedule, the press was taken on a tour around the technical centre to have a look at its engine development centre (EDC). “The EDC here has developed engines ranging from 1.5L to 8L. The 1.5L engine in Dost LCV was 100 per cent developed in this centre. All these engines possess 70 per cent cost efficient components, which is unique. Almost 70 per cent of the research work which includes combustion research and testing and validation is done in this centre. We have one more such facility in Hosur”, said Mr. S. Krishnan, VP (Engine Development), Product Development, Ashok Leyland to the media.
The media was later guided to the computer testing laboratory and the test track, where vigorous testing of prototypes in the most demanding of conditions are conducted. They were also able to witness the 6-poster, one of its kind in the country, which is a torture track simulator for multi-axle vehicles that significantly reduces testing time. The ZEVs were also available for short trial drives within the campus