Development of a parallel hybrid vehicle with front-wheel drive via IC engine and rear-wheel drive via electric motor. The program focused on crashworthiness, durability, and NVH performance of an all-aluminum unibody with an underbody power tub.

Key Highlights:

• Structure: extrusions, castings, sheet metal, welds, SPRs, bolts
• Front rail and bumper development for crash energy management with GT tools
• Rail section optimization with test correlation
• Pillar and roof rail sections for roof crush, torsion, and bending stiffness
• Casting nodes to join extrusion members
• Power tub enclosure design for multiple battery pack configurations (SAE)Full FE model including adhesives, welds, SPR rivets
• Crash simulations: roof crush; front, side, rear impacts
• NVH: modal map development
• Durability: road load analysis and seat belt pull