Various pan shots of BMW Energy and Environmental Test Centre

Vehicle is placed in the test bench.Vehicle is freezed by an operatorControl Screen, temperature and humidity.Operator in the vehicle. Starting vehicle and heating system, setting up of the electronic accelerator. Frosted front shield.Defrosting front shield. Fast motion.Defrosting side window. Fast motionControl stand, interior shots. Defrosting on the computer screen, fast motion.Interview Peter Hoff, ETC Project PlanningWe are able in this chamber to test for example the cold starting behavior of a car in principle, the testing of batteries, the optimization of the electrical energy distribution or even testing the board supply system under very cold weather conditions.

MINI Countryman Cooper S is placed in the test standFixing the wheel hub bonds on the wheel rim.Connecting the driver controll station and the measurement devices in the vehicleConnecting the exhaust tubes to the vehicle. Various Shots. Exhaust gas measurement.Control Screen, altitude raises.Exhaust gas measurement.Control Screen, altitude goes down. Operator goes through the pressure chamber and gets into the vehicle. Operator simulates a mountain drive with a change of altitude pressure. Control stand, interior shotsTesting of the altitude pressure with a crisp bag. „What altitude means.“ Fast motion.Interview Christa Hornreich, Method development ETCWe do these tests to ensure the whole drive drain and the refueling system of the car work under all climate conditions. Interview Christa Hornreich, Method development ETCWith these tests we ensure that our customers have optimized fuel consumption under all environmental conditions.

Adjusting of the BMW Z4 in the test rig. Various shots.Plugging of the electronic measurements devices in the vehicle. Various shotsBMW Z4 with the solarium on. Various shotsMountain driving test with acceleration and braking.Control stand, interior shotsMountain driving test with acceleration and braking.Historical Shoots. Mountain driving on the Mount Ventoux.Interview Roland Kleemann, ETC Methods and Test FacilitiesIn our new test facility here in Munich we are able to simulate different kind of tests. There are some tests where we try to overheat the engine and the cooling system, where the cooling system gets extremely thermal load on uphill tests. On the other side we test air condition systems where we simulate a death valley test. And even if it’s very hot up to 45 degrees Celsius or 50 degrees the air condition needs to cool down the driver properly. There are also some braking system tests where we test downhill tests. Even when the brake is getting red hot the car must stop properly like in a regular test in the mountains. Interview Roland Kleemann, ETC Methods and Test FacilitiesOur new test rig here helps us to dimension our world famous engines or maybe the air condition, to find a point where we get optimal output by minimum energy consumption. And this is all done in terms of BMW Efficient Dynamics.

The car is moved in the test rig.Control screenDifferent testings in snow and wind. Various shots.Control stand. Interior shotsDifferent testings in snow and wind. Various shots.Different tests in the rain. Various shots. Control screen humidity, temperature, wind speed.Various measurements on ultraviolet light at rain with a fluorescent liquid. Various shots.

The Energy- and Environmental Test Center is a facility where we can simulate any climate zone of the world at the touch of a button. Here we can actually make weather: sun, rain, snow and ice. In addition we can simulate mountain driving at high altitude for example. It’s all done in one single building with five test rigs.Development processes will become more efficient and transport distances in times will be reduced. More tests can be carried out using few prototypes. The test center allows accurate and reproducible tests. We can around them more quickly and more cheaply.At the concept stage of the Test Center we had already placed the high priority on being able to operate with low energy input. The rollers which drive the vehicle during testing also drive generators that produce energy which we either use immediately or store up. Here in our Test Center as in our Efficient Dynamic Cars we have set up an intelligent energy management system that handles energy with great care. Efficient Dynamics Fahrzeugen. Z.B. treibt das Fahrzeug eine Fahrzeugrolle an, in dieser Fahrzeugrolle ist ein Generator integriert, der produziert Strom und diesen verwenden wir entweder gleich oder wir speichern ihn ab und verwenden ihn später. Also ein hochintelligentes Energiemanagement

Arrival and Welcoming Katarina Witt.Welcome Talk Katarina Witt and Stefan Unterberg, Project Manager Energy- and Environmental Test Center, in German.K. Witt: Hello. S. Unterberg: Hello Mrs. Witt. K. Witt: You are Mr. Unterberg, aren’t you? And what are we doing today? S. Unterberg: We are visiting our new Energy- and Environmental Test Center. K. Witt: Ah, you are the weather maker, aren‘t you?S. Unterberg: Right. We try to perform magic a little bit like you on the ice, but we perform ….K. Witt: Could you please conjure up some sun? Please!S. Unterberg: That we are doing later. Come in, I’ll show you. Katharina Witt goes into the ETC. Photo Shoot Katarina Witt in the Cold Test Chamber.Photo Shoot Katarina Witt at snow in the Environmental Wind Tunnel.Photo Shoot Katarina Witt in the climate wind channel.Katharina Witt comes out of the ETC.Interview Katarina Witt in German:I experienced all different climate zones in the wind tunnel and it was very interesting to see, what you can simulate with special technique: Heat, sunshine, that you can sit in a convertible and the wind blows your hair. I liked most where all the snow and ice were even if it was very cold. But you can stay there only some minutes. But it’s great because you can try out everything. Interview Katarina Witt in German: I enjoyed most the wind tunnel where they simulate snow and ice. Though it was incredibly cold, but obviously I feel there the most comfortable because I warmed up the most.