To optimize energy consumption and efficiency in EVs, you first need trusted instruments to measure it. Founded in 1911, Yokogawa Test&Measurement is a global company that provides a range of products that measure electrical and optical signals and other critical engineering parameters. The company’s systems are used across industries like energy, manufacturing, and increasingly in EVs and renewable energy.
Charged recently chatted with Jose Luis Mezquita Benitez, Application Engineer at Yokogawa, to unpack how their test and measurement solutions are shaping the future of EV development.
Yokogawa’s offerings—including the WT5000 power analyzer, DL950 Modular Oscilloscope + Data Acquisition, and their newer SL2000 system—are optimized for validating powertrain efficiency, charging systems and motor control strategies.
Jose described how the WT5000 is specifically designed for benchmarking electric vehicle power systems. It captures multi-point measurements across the EV powertrain to quantify losses, harmonics and efficiency under real driving conditions. The WT5000’s modular architecture and multi-channel capability give engineers the flexibility to tailor the setup to their systems.
But raw power data isn’t enough. To map control signals, trends and transient behavior, Yokogawa brings in the DL950 modular oscilloscope + data acquisition platform. With the /MT1 option, it enables real-time DSP computation (e.g. Park/Clarke transforms), integrating motor d/q currents, encoder signals and inverter waveforms. This lets engineers carry out Maximum Torque per Ampere (MTPA) analysis and refine field-oriented control algorithms.
Jose also touched on Yokogawa’s newer SL2000 system. Built with rackability and system testing in mind, it introduces features such as stacking, GPS timing and high-speed sampling. These capabilities make it easier to integrate into automated test benches and distributed test setups. The SL2000 is meant to elevate EV testing capabilities across lab and field environments.
Engineers can explore Yokogawa’s library of application notes, resources and videos, which cover use cases like MTPA, inverter efficiency and charging system compliance. With open access to these materials, teams can more rapidly validate emergent EV designs.
Explore Yokogawa’s technical content or reach out via their website: https://tmi.yokogawa.com/
