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Transportation and Power Systems

Heavy-Duty Dynamometer Test Facility

Accelerating the development of advanced vehicle technologies to support the efficient, reliable and economical movement of goods.

Overview

Argonne National Laboratory’s Heavy-Duty Vehicle Dynamometer Test Facility is a national resource designed to help industry and government partners bring next-generation commercial vehicle technologies to market faster and with less risk.

The facility provides a controlled, flexible and repeatable testing environment for Class 3–8 trucks and off-highway equipment, enabling realistic evaluation of advanced propulsion systems, fuels, components, connectivity and automation technologies.

At the core of the facility is a state-of-the-art heavy-duty chassis dynamometer, seamlessly integrated with Argonne’s:

  • Virtual traffic and freight corridor environments
  • Vehicle-to-everything (V2X) connectivity tools
  • Real-time simulation platforms
  • World-leading controls, modeling and data analytics expertise

Developed with support from the U.S. Department of Energy and industry partners, the facility enables testing under repeatable real-world operating conditions — from a single vehicle on a defined route to a fully simulated, connected freight ecosystem.

The Heavy-Duty Vehicle Dynamometer Test Facility is part of ADVANCE (Argonne’s Dedicated Virtual ANything-in-the-loop CEnter), providing unmatched integration of physical testing and digital engineering.

Strategic Value

This national resource strengthens U.S. leadership in transportation, manufacturing and freight innovation while helping partners move faster from concept to commercialization.

Industry Applications

Test vehicles can be evaluated individually or alongside virtual vehicles, infrastructure and traffic signals within an emulated environment that supports a wide range of operating scenarios. This capability enables innovation across the commercial transportation ecosystem.

Key Capabilities

Designed with partners, for partners, the Heavy-Duty Vehicle Dynamometer Test Facility is flexible, scalable, and ready to support commercialization of advanced vehicle technologies including:

  • High-Power, High-Torque Testing
  • Anything-in-the-Loop (XiL) Environment
  • Advanced Measurement and diagnostics
  • Drive Cycle Coverage
  • Flexible laboratory infrastructure
Inside the Heavy-Duty Vehicle Dynamometer