Development of Electric Vehicle (EV)-bus Chassis with Reverse Engineering Method Using Static Analysis

This research aims to simulate structural steel 400 (SS400) material as an alternative material for the electric bus's chassis structure. The kind of the material is low carbon steel. The SS400 material is produced from one of the largest steel mills in Indonesia, considered a local material. The local material used to increase the total domestic content in electric cars in Indonesia could be improved. Generally, the reverse engineering method of the R260 ladder frame type chassis is used to increase the local content in electric vehicles. However, this research used a ladder frame of type SS400 from local material to fulfill the local content of vehicle (EV)-bus chassis with the reverse engineering method. After the model was successfully created using the finite element software, statics analysis was carried out using the von Mises stress and the simulation results' deflection. The meshing process of the chassis structure is carried out in such a way as to assume global contact. Loading was evenly carried out over the two main beam ladder frames totaling 14,200 kg. The elasticity modulus and tensile strength values used for the material are 190 GPa and 480 MPa. Furthermore, the support was placed in the mounting position of the front and rear wheel leaf springs at a front, rear overhang, and wheelbase distance of 2,380 mm, 3,290 mm, and 6,000 mm. The resulting approach was carried out using a beam model with a two-overhang beam model. The simulation results showed that type SS400 from the local material obtained a maximum von Mises stress value of 75.8 MPa, deflection of 2.568 mm, and the lowest safety factor of 3.2. Meanwhile, through theoretical calculations, the obtained stress occurred in 72.33 MPa and deflection of 2.594. There is no significant difference between simulation results and theoretical results.

Keywords: chassis, ladder frame, von Mises stress, low carbon steel, electric vehicle