MAHLE Powertrain

Hydrogen is being increasingly discussed as a possible fuel source option for the defence industry. But is it a truly viable replacement for the diesel-reliant sector? In a recent interview with Jonny Williamson for Professional Engineering Magazine, John Hollingworth, our Sales and Marketing Director, explored this topic, including - • Opportunities in adapting current defence vehicles • Benefits of hybridisation and electrification of ICE vehicles for the defence sector • MAHLE Powertrain’s expertise in hydrogen-based projects, such as Project Cavendish • The possibility of hydrogen-powered military bases Read the article here: https://lnkd.in/d-tY-Wtb

There are various challenges when considering ammonia as a fuel source, including slow flame speeds, NOx emissions and ammonia “slip”. But, at MAHLE Powertrain, we have dedicated years of R&D into ammonia combustion to prove its capability as a viable fuel source. Some solutions to its various challenges include: • Stable Ignition: Ammonia generally performs better in spark-ignition engines and when paired with pre-chamber ignition, like MAHLE Jet Ignition, which improves the speed and stability of ignition. • On-Board Dynamic Cracking: Small amounts of hydrogen also improve combustion, and integrating "cracker" technology enables on-board generation of hydrogen through the splitting of ammonia. This allows for a single-fuel system, greatly simplifying integration and operation. • Turning "Slip" into an asset: Ammonia slip in the exhaust can be utilised and converted into harmless byproducts. Using a precise lean-burn calibration and fuel ratio control, an optimum emissions mixture can be achieved, resulting in engine-out NOx and the slipped ammonia neutralising each other in the aftertreatment system, which eliminates the need for an AdBlue/DEF system. Our years of research experimentally prove that ultra-low emission ammonia combustion is possible. Find out more about our alternative fuel expertise here: https://lnkd.in/ead5VM-D

Where Could These Skills Be Applied? Some of the most interesting simulation challenges don't come from automotive. Many industries are facing major engineering challenges as they work to improve efficiency, integrate new technologies and reduce carbon emissions. Energy networks are becoming more complex. Hydrogen infrastructure is expanding. Hybrid and electrified propulsion systems are emerging across multiple transport sectors. Industrial operators are looking for new ways to optimise performance while reducing energy consumption. Although the applications differ, many of the engineering questions are remarkably similar. Engineers still need to understand how energy flows through a system, how fluids and gases behave, how control strategies influence performance and how multiple subsystems interact over time. This is where first-principles modelling can provide real value. By developing predictive simulation models, engineers can evaluate concepts, investigate operating scenarios and identify potential issues long before physical prototypes become available. As technologies continue to converge, the ability to understand and model complete systems will become increasingly important. Where do you see the biggest engineering challenges emerging over the next decade? Next in the series: We'll share a real example of how automotive simulation expertise helped tackle a completely different challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic. #SimulationEngineering #EnergySystems #Hydrogen #Innovation

As powertrain control systems grow in scope and complexity, XiL (Model-, Software-, and Hardware-in-the-Loop) simulation has become a critical enabler of efficient development, validation and calibration. 🔹Model-in-the-Loop (MiL) Approach: The control algorithm, and physical system it is connected to (plant) are both represented as simulation models, typically within a model-based design environment such as MATLAB/Simulink. Purpose: To develop and check the control strategy, initial calibration and system behaviour before any production software is generated. 🔹Software-in-the-Loop (SiL) Approach: The controller model is replaced with the actual code that will be compiled for the target hardware, while the plant remains simulated. Purpose: To confirm that the software implementation behaves identically to the original control design. 🔹Hardware-in-the-Loop (HiL) Approach: The real Electronic Control Unit (ECU) hardware is connected to a real-time simulator that emulates the plant and surrounding system. Purpose: To validate the actual hardware and software in a closed-loop environment before real-world deployment. At MAHLE Powertrain, we employ XiL simulation and testing throughout our control system development projects, benefiting from: ✅ Early defect detection ✅ Faster, less costly development cycles ✅ Improved test coverage and robustness By combining advanced simulation with detailed analysis, our XiL environments bridge the gap between digital models and physical hardware, accelerating development and reducing risk.

Why do automotive engineers become systems thinkers? Modern powertrains are some of the most complex systems engineers develop. A modern propulsion system combines mechanical, electrical, fluid, thermal and control systems, all of which must work together to deliver performance, efficiency and reliability. For simulation engineers, this means developing an understanding that extends well beyond individual components. The challenge isn't simply predicting how a battery behaves, how a pump performs or how a mechanical system responds to load. It's understanding how each of those elements influences the others. At MAHLE Powertrain, we routinely build and integrate models covering: • Internal combustion engines and hybrid systems • Battery electric powertrains • Fuel cells and balance of plant • Fluid and gas networks • Mechanical dynamics and vibration • Thermal conditioning systems The real value comes from bringing these domains together and understanding the interactions between them. This systems-level thinking is increasingly relevant beyond automotive. Whether the application is an energy network, hydrogen infrastructure, industrial process or marine propulsion system, the challenge is often the same: understanding complex interactions before committing to hardware. Next in the series: Where could these simulation skills create value outside the automotive industry? #SystemsEngineering #Simulation #DigitalEngineering #Innovation

Where could these skills be applied? Some of the most interesting simulation challenges don't come from automotive. Many industries are facing major engineering challenges as they work to improve efficiency, integrate new technologies and reduce carbon emissions. Energy networks are becoming more complex. Hydrogen infrastructure is expanding. Hybrid and electrified propulsion systems are emerging across multiple transport sectors. Industrial operators are looking for new ways to optimise performance while reducing energy consumption. Although the applications differ, many of the engineering questions are remarkably similar. Engineers still need to understand how energy flows through a system, how fluids and gases behave, how control strategies influence performance and how multiple subsystems interact over time. This is where first-principles modelling can provide real value. By developing predictive simulation models, engineers can evaluate concepts, investigate operating scenarios and identify potential issues long before physical prototypes become available. As technologies continue to converge, the ability to understand and model complete systems will become increasingly important. Where do you see the biggest engineering challenges emerging over the next decade? Next in the series: We'll share a real example of how automotive simulation expertise helped tackle a completely different challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic. #simulationengineering #energysystems #hydrogen #innovation

What if you could test your vehicle on the world's most demanding roads without ever leaving the UK? At MAHLE Powertrain's Vehicle Development Centre (VDC), our two advanced vehicle test chambers enable us to accurately replicate real-world driving conditions within a controlled laboratory environment, supporting faster, safer and more efficient vehicle development. Across both facilities, we offer: 🔹 2WD or 4WD chassis dynamometer capability 🔹 Full climatic simulation from -40°C to +60°C 🔹 Altitude testing up to 5,000 metres 🔹 Solar load simulation 🔹 Hydrogen vehicle compatibility Whether validating an EV, hybrid or internal combustion powertrain, engineers can simulate challenging routes and operating conditions without the unpredictability of traffic, weather or logistical constraints. By bringing Real Driving Emissions (RDE) and full vehicle testing into a controlled environment, development teams gain repeatable results, faster decision-making and reduced programme risk. Supporting everything from concept vehicle development through to production validation, the VDC helps customers accelerate development while reducing travel costs, resource requirements and time to market. It's one of the reasons MAHLE Powertrain continues to be recognised as one of the world's leading independent powertrain engineering and testing partners.

Designing a hypercar powertrain is about far more than achieving headline performance figures. Every component must be optimised to deliver the perfect balance of power, efficiency, weight, thermal management, drivability and durability – all while fitting within an incredibly complex vehicle package. At MAHLE Powertrain, our design and analysis teams use advanced engineering tools to optimise every aspect of a high-performance powertrain before physical testing begins. Our capabilities include: 🔹 Engine and hybrid powertrain design 🔹 1D simulation and CFD analysis to optimise airflow, combustion and thermal performance 🔹 Battery system design, cooling and integration 🔹 Advanced combustion technologies for improved efficiency and performance 🔹 Full vehicle powertrain integration By combining virtual development with physical validation, we help customers reduce development risk, accelerate vehicle programmes and engineer powertrains capable of delivering repeatable performance under the most demanding conditions. From concept through to production, our engineering expertise enables the next generation of hypercars to push the boundaries of performance without compromising efficiency or reliability.

Simulation is about solving problems, not industries. Engineering challenges may look different. The physics often doesn't. When people hear automotive simulation, they usually think about engines, batteries and vehicles. But that's not really what our simulation engineers do. What we actually do is solve complex engineering problems. Every project starts by understanding how a system behaves. How does energy move through it? How do fluids and gases respond to changing conditions? How do mechanical components interact, and what happens when controls, hardware and operating conditions all influence one another? At MAHLE Powertrain, we use simulation to answer these questions before physical hardware exists. By combining engineering theory with system modelling, we can explore concepts, understand behaviour and support better design decisions. The tools and techniques may have been developed in the automotive sector, but the underlying principles are relevant wherever complex systems exist. The industry may change. The underlying physics rarely does. That's why the same approach can be applied to challenges far beyond automotive. Next in the series: Why does automotive simulation experience translate so effectively to other industries? #Engineering #Simulation #ProblemSolving

Efficiency during the testing and development phase of a project is key. Access to development vehicles is becoming more limited, testing windows are tighter and a product’s time to market is crucial. That’s where testing in-the-loop comes in. By testing in-the-loop, we analyse every stage – from model through to hardware. That means we can verify electrical connections, debug software early and ensure systems are configured accurately from the outset. This reduces errors, shortens development time and enables us to remain confident throughout every phase of the project. As a result of various industry pressures and constraints, virtual validation is becoming increasingly important. It offers a safer, more cost-effective and efficient approach, while also reducing the need for testing on a dyno. And when adjustments are required, we are not reacting blindly. We can pinpoint where, in the virtual development chain, the change is needed and resolve it at the source. This method of testing enables us to quickly turnaround software set ups for new engines and allows physical testing to be reserved for validation rather than discovery. By understanding every development stage, test cycles are shortened, time to market is accelerated, but more importantly, it improves confidence in the decisions being made long before hardware is built.