Valmet Automotive further expands battery testing for electric vehicles

• New Battery Test Center in Weihenbronn, Germany, put into operation
• VA significantly expands test capacities and test expertise
• New employees to be recruited for battery testing

In addition and close to the company’s battery test center hub in Bad Friedrichshall, Germany, the company has now put the battery test center in Weihenbronn into operation. At the new location Valmet Automotive has about 1,500 square meters for state-of-the-art testing at its disposal: "Our test center in Bad Friedrichshall and the possibilities at the new location in Weihenbronn complement each other perfectly. With the new location we are now able to significantly expand our test capacities and test expertise in a cost-effective way", says Jyrki Nurmi, Senior Vice President EV Systems, Valmet Automotive Group.

In addition to a workshop for prototype build-up and an electrical laboratory, Weihenbronn has a test area with already many years of experience of testing latest battery technologies and innovations. In addition, battery abuse tests on cell and module level are carried out in test containers in the outdoor area. Equipment and test know-how which is rarely available on the market nowadays is now part of EV Systems in-house testing capability.

Especially as a Tier-1 system supplier in the battery business, access to these tests and their results is of great importance for Valmet Automotive as they are crucial for product development: "In the future, we will build up and test the latest battery innovations and technologies, such as new thermal management solutions, new sealing concepts and new measures to improve the fire behavior of batteries," emphasizes Mathias Würges, Vice President Engineering EV Systems, Valmet Automotive.

In addition to Bad Friedrichshall and Weihenbronn, Valmet Automotive also conducts battery tests in Uusikaupunki, Finland, at the company’s car production site. At the car plant the company has integrated a production of battery systems, too.

“With our existing network of test centers, we cover a wide range of battery testing on state-of-the art level for technology tests, concept validation and the development accompanying. We will further optimize testing to support Valmet Automotive’s role as Tier-1 system supplier for battery systems, but also to provide the industry with much-needed testing capacity. To fulfill this task in the best possible way, we are currently recruiting new employees for the Battery Testing division”, Mathias Würges states.