Engineering company Mahle Powertrain has opened a battery development centre in Stuttgart, Germany. The plant will accommodate all aspects of battery development, it said.
This will range from initial prototyping to small-scale production, from e-bikes to electric trucks. The facility will cover 1,300 square metres.
The German company opened a vehicle and battery development centre in Northampton, England, last year.
Simon Reader, Mahle Powertrain’s managing director, said the facility was in response to growing demand for design, development, testing and optimisation of batteries for electric vehicles.
The facility comprises a prototype shop with a dual-robot laser welding station capable of handling active high-voltage battery modules.
It has a comprehensive test department, capable of testing low- and high-voltage packs up to a maximum of 1200V, 2000A or 550kW. Two climatic chambers operate from ‑40°C to +90°C for ageing, electrical and thermal tests. The facility can also replicate simulated driving cycles in harsh environments, the company said.
