Virtual prototyping cuts development time for Vredestein Quatrac Pro EV
The newly launched Vredestein Quatrac Pro EV, Europe’s first dedicated all-season EV tyre, has been developed using Apollo’s virtual prototyping and simulation platform.
Apollo Tyres says that this has helped to “dramatically reduce time-to-market”, as well as the product’s environmental impact and development costs.
Thanks to the use of virtual prototyping, the Quatrac Pro EV had the fastest development cycle for any Vredestein tyre and it became the first dedicated all-season EV tyre to go on sale in Europe when it was launched in November.
The in-house simulation and prototyping platform improves the overall efficiency of design and testing processes, enabling the company to achieve performance targets.
The greatly increased use of computer simulation allowed Apollo Tyres to apply a rapid iterative design approach to optimise critical performance characteristics, including rolling resistance, grip, comfort and road noise.
For example, the R&D team used the simulation technology to optimise the construction of the tyre’s unique contour and tread to reduce rolling resistance and thereby increase driving range.
Apollo Tyres says the result is a product that performs well year-round, across a wide range of road surfaces.
The technology also helped Apollo Tyres reduce the Quatrac Pro EV’s carbon emissions during development.
“The steady increase in the use of virtual prototyping in our product development has been a game-changer for our business, enabling us to meet and exceed performance criteria in a fast and reliable way,” said Dr. Udo Kuhlmann, group head R&D Europe, Apollo Tyres.
“We’ve been investing in simulation software for over 25 years; our latest virtual prototyping environment is now key in helping us maintain a competitive edge.
“Real-world testing remains crucial – our tyres are often bought by driving enthusiasts and we must apply subjective as well as virtual assessment.
“We are now harnessing industry developments in high-performance computing and cloud-based simulation to further improve the platform,” he added.