TÜV SÜD Opens State-of-the-Art EV Battery Testing Lab in Auburn Hills, Michigan
TÜV SÜD America, a global leader in testing, inspection, and certification services, officially opened its new state-of-the-art environmental laboratory in Auburn Hills, MI, reaffirming its unwavering commitment to advancing the highest quality and performance standards in EV battery and system solutions. Through rigorous product development and validation processes, TÜV SÜD ensures that EV batteries meet the highest standards of safety, reliability, and sustainability in one of the most capable EV battery testing labs in the world.
“We are proud to inaugurate our new environmental laboratory in Auburn Hills, MI, which demonstrates our commitment to driving excellence in the Electric Vehicle ecosystem including batteries, components, and system solutions. Leveraging TÜV SÜD’s expertise from our global battery laboratory network, we have established this unrivaled testing facility in North America which will also facilitate the deployment of essential Charging Infrastructure and Energy Storage Solutions. This laboratory enables TÜV SÜD to provide cutting-edge solutions to our customers that meet the evolving needs and sustainability requirements and enables the safe and secure adoption of these essential technologies,” added Ishan Palit, COO and Member of the Board of Management of TÜV SÜD.
The Future of Transportation
TÜV SÜD’s experience as a third-party independent test laboratory for batteries in North America dates to 2009. TÜV SÜD broke ground on this new laboratory in Auburn Hills, MI, in 2021, and is now ready to offer its services to accommodate the expanding EV market and the ever-increasing EV battery sizes. This new testing laboratory has also created new jobs in a critical industry in Southeast Michigan helping to grow the state's economy and securing a strong future for the automotive and mobility workforce.
“We thank our partners in the state of Michigan, including Governor Gretchen Whitmer, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), the City of Auburn Hills, the government of Oakland County, Michigan, and the Detroit Regional Partnership,” said Dr. Fabian Schober, CEO of TÜV SÜD America. “Our focus on safety and reliability is paramount in the development and validation of EV batteries and systems. Electrification transforms the mobility industry and presents major opportunities in all vehicle segments. Our passion for sustainability drives us to deliver innovative solutions that support the transition towards a more sustainable and eco-friendly future,” Dr Fabian Schober explains.
Sustainability Matters
Alongside sustainable testing practices, the new facility is a testament to TÜV SÜD’s sustainability efforts. The electricity for the new EV lab is 100% compliant with MIGreenPower, a program dedicated to putting more clean energy on the grid. Additionally, TÜV SÜD’s design and construction of the laboratory include other environmentally friendly features directed towards lowering the overall carbon footprint of the facility and demonstrating its unwavering commitment to sustainability. These features include the planting of more than 200 trees on site, the use of regionally sourced materials during the build, and the installation of LED automatic lights throughout the facility.
How It’s Tested Matters
TÜV SÜD places great importance on testing methodologies and procedures to ensure accurate and reliable results. The company is committed to using industry-leading testing protocols and methodologies aligned with international standards. This dedication ensures that EV batteries undergo thorough and rigorous testing, providing manufacturers and consumers with confidence in their performance and safety. The new facility in Auburn Hills is dedicated to comprehensive battery testing and environmental evaluations, including:
- An impressive 80,000-square-foot battery testing and environmental lab equipped to handle batteries up to 1200V/1000AW, ensuring comprehensive and rigorous testing procedures while enabling comprehensive analysis and validation.
- Detroit’s largest electro-dynamic vibration table capable of generating forces up to 350kN, as well as an electro-dynamic MAST (Multi-Axis Shaker Table) system for 6 degrees of freedom (6 DOF) testing and high-frequency response.
- Capability of battery crush up to 1 Mega Newton, ensuring thorough evaluations.
- Ability to conduct fire testing indoors within the bunkers on site.
- Exclusive to Detroit, the lab provides five indoor safety/abuse bunkers constructed with steel-reinforced concrete, accommodating a remarkable quantity of chambers and ensuring the highest sustainability standards.
- In-house capability to handle both battery testing performance and safety/abuse testing.
- Coupled with the Plymouth Lab, TÜV SÜD can run high-voltage EMC testing on battery and BMS (battery management systems) for the customers.
- Through the testing services, TÜV SÜD helps ensure the overall safety and performance of vehicles through lifecycle performance, battery abuse, environmental, transport, and ECE R100 Homologation testing.
Precision with Purpose
TÜV SÜD recognizes the critical importance of safety and reliability in EV battery systems and emphasizes its impact on overall vehicle performance and user confidence to satisfy the growing market of EV battery testing. The EV battery industry has attracted more than $400 billion in investments over the last decade, with about $100 billion invested since the beginning of 2020.
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