A laboratory for electromobility: the SEAT Test Center Energy
With a 1,500 square metre area and an investment of more than 7 million Euros, the new Test Center Energy will carry out tests on electric vehicles and batteries with 1.3 megawatts of testing capacity.
SEAT’s commitment to electrification continues apace, with the new Test Center Energy as part of its strategy. The company has begun work on a new automotive battery lab that will be located at its headquarters in Martorell.
With an investment of more than 7 million Euros – part of the 5 billion Euro plan recently announced by SEAT – the new dedicated centre will develop and test various energy systems for electric vehicles, and has a testing capacity that can reach 1.3 MW simultaneously. The facility will become a one-of-a-kind electric battery laboratory in Spain, and one of the most advanced in Europe.
Climatic chambers
The Test Center Energy, whose construction will be completed in April 2021, will cover an area of around 1,500 square metres and include different test spaces for the evaluation of cell modules with lithium-ion technology and medium and high voltage batteries, as well as different chargers.
There are also plans for several climatic chambers that will enable the batteries and modules to be tested under extreme thermal conditions, simulating the different environments a car may experience during its life cycle – from the coldest to the hottest. It will also feature a high-tech electronics lab to design and manufacture prototypes and build interfaces for the test systems.
Specialised tests
A workshop will also be set up in the Test Center Energy specifically designed and equipped for tests on electrified vehicles, with the capacity to work simultaneously with up to six cars. This space will be used to conduct various tests on the performance of the energy system, functional safety, and integration of functions. To this end, artificial vision systems will also be incorporated into the instrumentation.
“We are very excited about this project, which underlines our commitment to electrification. This will be a unique laboratory which will enable us to develop the energy systems of future vehicles, thus contributing to the creation of sustainable electromobility,” comments SEAT Vice-president for R&D, Werner Tietz.
SEAT's commitment
The new Test Center Energy will join the combined low, medium, and high voltage battery lab built by SEAT in 2010. Over the past decade, the company has carried out national and international research projects and conducted more than 2,000 test cases. The facility has two climatic chambers and a test power of 200 kW.
SEAT and CUPRA are deeply committed to electrification and will be launching five new electric and plug-in hybrid models in 2020 and 2021. The Leon family will have plug-in hybrid electric models under the SEAT and CUPRA brands, as will the SEAT Tarraco and CUPRA Formentor, the first model designed and developed for the CUPRA brand. The CUPRA el-Born will join the SEAT Mii electric as the company’s second all-electric vehicle.
Source: SEAT S.A.