The new Mercedes EQE under the magnifying glass - the eDrive test benches

One fast lap after another on the high-speed oval in Nardò in southern Italy, winding uphill and downhill stretches on the Swabian Alb or stop-and-go traffic for hours on the Stuttgart Weinsteige - some Mercedes-Benz employees experience such punishing traffic situations day after day. And without ever leaving their workplaces in Untertürkheim, because they "drive a car without a car". Mercedes-Benz tests the drives of electric cars on eDrive test benches. The electric drive of models in the fast-growing Mercedes EQ family is being tested on a total of 13 test rigs in Untertürkheim. Of these, seven are pure eATS test benches, where the power comes from a special DC source known as a battery simulation. On the six eDrive test benches, testing also includes the battery and the vehicle's complete charging components. In addition, there are another 13 test benches at the Nabern development site. Connected to the test benches is a monitoring room with computers. The most important measurement parameters for the test operation are visualized on one of the many monitoring screens. They tell the test bench operator in real time during the test whether everything is in order or whether a problem is imminent. Almost all year round, the test operation runs around the clock. On weekends, there is an on-call service, and automatic shutdowns are communicated to the responsible employees via instant messages or push messages on their smartphones. Remote access to the automation, diagnostic and measurement computers is possible.