Peugeot 9X8 Supercar: Derived from a virtual project consisting of 15,267 digital files

Before going on the track for a qualification trial, the Peugeot 9X8 Hybrid Supercar was just a 51.1GB digital project stored on hard drives, consisting of 15,267 files.

Advances in digital technology have opened up entirely new possibilities for automotive sports, and Peugeot Sports engineers have been able to conceive a truly disruptive concept for the 9X8 supercar – a tailless design (unlike any competitor) – and fully validated before manufacturing physical parts.

Sophisticated, modern digital software provides designers and engineers with great flexibility, not only to facilitate in-depth technical research, but also to save significant time, money and resources. The Peugeot 9X8 supercar was a virtual presence for a long time before it finally hit the track. The Peugeot Sports team spent two years modeling and simulating, both using existing software (modified to meet the specific requirements of the project if necessary) and using a computer program developed entirely from scratch in-house. Fran ois Coudrain, Director of Powertrain at the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) project in Peugeot Sports, explains: "One of our strengths is our ability to make our own tools, so we are better able to shape the design of the parts we need. ”

Creativity fostered by digital innovation

From computing gurus to performance and racing engineers, dozens of top talent have participated in the Peugeot 9X8 digital project, focusing on the same goal – to create the ultimate endurance race car. To achieve the best results, the engineering department always follows the same procedure:

Carefully read the rules and regulations, fully understand what is allowed and not allowed, and most importantly, conceive of the possibilities; create a design outline: form performance goals and technical requirements as part of the protocol.

Elaboration of design assumptions: Vehicle development engineers conceive different concepts based on the overall design outline. This is where the Peugeot Movement engineers (and peugeot designers who have been involved in the 9X8 project from the beginning) really use their imagination and creativity. Of course, no matter how advanced digital technology is, it can never completely replace human creativity, and projects like 9X8 are ultimately the fruits of human labor. After screening, those most promising digital concepts are left behind, and then their relevant advantages are evaluated, and a concept is finally selected.

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Simulations: CFD simulations are often used in aerodynamic testing as a reference for fluid flow, taking into account physical or chemical effects such as turbulence and thermal excitation.

Fran ois Coudrain points out: "With a wide variety of software, we can boldly envision a wide range of sizes, shapes and materials and adjust the weight according to technical regulations. As with the basic concept of choice, by testing systems and components by means of purely digital means, we are able to evaluate a large number of potential solutions that are simply not possible in the real world. Before going on the track, our supercar was simply a virtual project stored on the hard drive for a long time, consisting of 15267 files, and each file represents a part! Another point: thanks to digital technology and our advanced simulation tools, we are able to measure the interaction between different components and systems. This means that we have a good understanding of the theoretical performance and behavior of the vehicle before it is actually tested. The physical validation phase of the project will take some time to begin when we finally get the car on the track. ”

Jean-Marc FINOT, director of motor sport at Stellantis, added: "A car has a huge amount of data, and artificial intelligence is an important tool for analyzing this data. Our 'big data' processing application allows us to simulate a large number of different assumptions, and we can see if any component design needs to be adjusted to meet our target values." Only after defining features and simulating performance in multiple environments through purely digital cars can we begin manufacturing physical parts. ”

From the cable cross-section to the drone motor

Some data is collected without the need to turn any particular study into a material, shape, or component. For example, the body material is all carbon fiber, the engine is made of aluminum, and the car is all four wheels... However, it is true that digital tools are required when calculating dimensions and simulating the behavior of basic components.

For example, the Peugeot 9X8 rear axle is equipped with a 500 kW (680 hp) 2.6-liter V6 twin-turbo internal combustion engine and a 200 kW (270 hp) motor on the front axle. The Peugeot 9X8 uses a three-electric system (900-volt battery with 48-volt and 12-volt components), and digital technology allows Peugeot Motion engineers to fully understand its electromagnetic environment and design the optimal size for its wire harnesses. To minimize the risk of interference, it is necessary to establish a close relationship between physical components and software. This is a very important task that can only be done with the help of digital technology. In this way, the team found that the 48-volt system could use a smaller wiring harness compared to 12 volts, which both saved space and weight while enhancing the compatibility between the physical wiring harness and the calculator/computer.

Other components purchased from Stellantis Sports or derived from "mass market" technology products sometimes work well without any form of modification – a flexible and effective approach that saves costs! For example, some of the 9X8's 48-volt electric motors come directly from drones. Of course, the effectiveness of these electric motors in the application of automobiles is simulated and verified with the help of specialized software, but no structural adjustments are required.

Digital analogs also support the necessary customization – for example, what materials are used around the exhaust port. The temperatures here are very high, and simulations show that the carbon fiber body structure needs to be protected or replaced by aluminum or titanium materials. This was initially highlighted in the design outline, validated during the simulation phase and then again in the first live-car test.

After the digital development was completed, engineers created the initial 1:1 scale model based on all the technical data of the 9X8 stored on the hard disk, first conducting wind tunnel tests, then building the physical racing car, and the final stage of development was completed on the track.