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Winter Car Testing

Winter car testing in Sweden

The Winter Test Region is a one-of-a-kind cluster filled to the brim with the world’s leading vehicle and component manufacturers. The region includes the municipalities Arjeplog, Arvidsjaur, and Älvsbyn, which during the winter turn into a world-leading winter car testing hub for companies such as VW, BMW, Daimler, Audi, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lamborghini, MAN, BOSCH, Continental, and many more.

The Global Epicenter of Winter Car Testing

Nowhere else in the world will you find an international cluster with such a high concentration of knowledge and experience in winter car testing as in northern Sweden. During the summer, the Winter Test Region lies somewhat dormant with roughly 3,000 local inhabitants in Arjeplog and 6,000 in Arvidsjaur (the two main hubs of the Winter Test Region). To put it in perspective, the population of Arjeplog nearly doubles during the winter test season.

Engineers from all over the globe and from many different companies flood the region to test components and thousands of vehicles, such as trucks, buses, and cars, in winter conditions. Along with local winter test specialists and an infrastructure specifically adapted to winter testing, everything you need will be within your reach, from EV-charging infrastructure, accommodation, and workshops to land tracks and lake tracks, as well as events for your off-time.

This all started almost 50 years ago when the two pioneers David Sundström & Per-Axel Andersson lent out their own landing strip on Lake Hornavan, Sweden’s deepest lake, to a group of visiting car testers performing winter testing on the public road network in northern Sweden. The rest is history – learn more about it here

The presence of all these different component and vehicle manufacturers in the same place undoubtedly brings forth unique synergies in the form of potential collaborations and knowledge exchange between companies and local institutions. At Icemakers in the Winter Test Region, you will find the complete package for testing components and cars in winter conditions. A successful winter car testing project requires more than just state-of-the-art winter test tracks. Other factors such as accommodation, local knowledge, and logistic solutions are also of great importance when testing in extreme subarctic conditions.

VARIATIONS OF TRACKS

Winter test projects

Winter car testing is a crucial part for manufacturers of vehicles, systems, components, and tires when it comes to testing, demonstrating, and validating their new products and concepts. Today, testing vehicles such as buses, trucks, and cars in winter conditions can be done with the help of software modeling and simulation but there is still no better way to thoroughly and accurately evaluate and homologate a new product than subjecting it to extremely real-world conditions through winter car testing in Sweden.

The Winter Test Region in northern Sweden offers world-class winter car testing facilities that can not be found anywhere else on the planet in such relative concentration, covering the full range of winter test services. During the winter months of November through March, leading companies from all over the globe perform winter test projects of all shapes and sizes, undertaken within the region’s winter test facilities and public road network.

With many moving parts, complicated logistics, and a compressed time schedule there is a lot of complexity related to such a project, regardless of its scope. The time spent on site must be maximized in order to reach the targets set out for the project. Planning everything in advance from abroad can be a challenge and in order to get the most out of all the opportunities on offer in the Winter Test Region, an experienced and reliable partner on site is a huge benefit.

At Icemakers, we are the one-stop shop for all your winter car testing needs, and the one contact point you need to ensure an efficient and successful winter test project.

TYPES OF TESTING

Testing at Icemakers’ Facilities

Icemakers’ facilities for winter car testing in Sweden offer the optimal circumstances for evaluating vehicles in frigid and challenging climates. We provide everything you need to carry out the required winter car testing to ensure the performance of your vehicles. Below are a few examples of testing you can perform at our facilities:

Cold starts: Assessing the vehicle’s ability to start and operate in extremely cold temperatures, including evaluating battery performance, fuel system operation, and engine performance.
Traction and stability: Evaluating the vehicle’s handling, traction control systems, and stability control systems on snow-covered or icy surfaces. This includes testing acceleration, braking, and cornering capabilities.
Brake performance: Assessing the effectiveness of the vehicle’s braking system under icy or snowy conditions, including testing stopping distances, ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) functionality, and brake performance at different speeds.
Handling and dynamics: Driving cars during the winter can affect handling and dynamics. It is therefore important to evaluate how the vehicle handles and responds to steering inputs on slippery surfaces. This includes testing for oversteer and understeer tendencies, assessing the effectiveness of electronic stability control systems, and overall handling characteristics.
Cold weather durability: Subjecting the vehicle to extended exposure to cold temperatures to evaluate the durability and reliability of various components, such as the engine, transmission, suspension, and electrical systems.
Cold weather performance: Assessing the vehicle’s performance in low temperatures, including acceleration, top speed, fuel efficiency, and power delivery.
HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) system: Driving cars during winter can affect the environment in the car. Evaluating the performance of the vehicle’s heating and defrosting systems is essential to ensure they are capable of keeping the cabin warm and windows clear in the cold.

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FAQ – Winter Car Testing

1. What makes the winter test region in Northern Sweden unique?

The winter test region in northern Sweden is unique due to its high concentration of knowledge and experience in winter car testing. This cluster offers world-class winter testing infrastructure that cannot be found anywhere else on the planet in such relative concentration.

2. Which municipalities are included in the winter test region?

The winter test region is a cluster of municipalities in northern Sweden, including Arjeplog, Arvidsjaur, Älvsbyn, and Jokkmokk. It is a world-leading test hub for winter car testing.

3. Does Icemakers offer accommodation for clients during their time in the winter test region?

Yes, we have our own apartment building in central Arjeplog and can also help arrange bookings of hotels and private houses all over the region.

4. Why is it beneficial to have an experienced and reliable partner on site for a winter test project?

Having an experienced and reliable partner on-site for a winter test project is beneficial because they possess the local knowledge and expertise necessary to navigate the complex logistics and maximize the opportunities available in the winter test region. At Icemakers, our top priority is always to help ensure efficient and successful winter test projects for all our customers.

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Winter Car Testing