
BMW Group
Measurements in the new Aeroacoustics Wind Tunnel of the BMW Group.
The BMW Group has opened its new Aeroacoustics and Electric Drive Centre (AEC) at the company’s Research and Innovation Centre (FIZ). After almost 40 years of service, the old aeroacoustic wind tunnel has now been replaced with a new facility. The building is comprised of two halves, a multifunctional part with workshop, testing, and measurement equipment, and a prototype for high-voltage batteries and inverters, the AEC has a structurally and technically unique wind tunnel. Said wind tunnel is 100m in length, 45m in height, and 25m in width.
“Quiet is premium,” said Daniel Böttger, Head of Complete Vehicle Development at BMW AG. “Our focus is on meeting the premium standards of our vehicles. An important part of this is acoustics — particularly for quiet electric models. The new wind tunnel enables ground-breaking advances in aeroacoustics research.”
Dr Nicole Haft-Zboril, Head of BMW Group Real Estate Management, added, “The new AEC is another structural milestone for the BMW Group's development of future mobility solutions. With such a complex project to be implemented in the shortest possible time, cost-effectively and with very high quality, there is a need for close integration between construction, development and production, as well as with all our partners and the City of Munich. The consistent use of lean construction is an important success factor here.”

BMW Group
The new Aeroacoustics E-Drive Centre.
Key features of the new AEC:
- Boasts a background noise level of 54.3 dB (A) at 140 km/h, with noises caused by a headwind now measurable in the wind tunnel.
- Features a nozzle cross-section of 25 m² with a maximum wind speed of 250 km/h, as well as a blower capacity of 4.5 MW and up to 100,000 m³ of air per minute at 250 km/h.
- Designed as an acoustic semi-free-field space to eliminate sound reflections and ensure realistic road-like simulations, with a frequency range of 30 Hz.
- Equipped with the latest measurement technology to drive development like the 216-microphone acoustic camera for precise localisation of background noises as well as the laser vibrometry system which measures a vehicle’s mechanical vibrations.
- With a fully-fledged acoustic all-wheel drive roller dynamometer, measurements can be conducted regardless of wind and weather, making the wind tunnel ideal for studying wind and rolling noises.