UL Solution officially began construction of its North America Advanced Battery Laboratory in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Located near the center of the US automotive industry, the facility will help enable electric vehicle (EV) and industrial battery original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and their suppliers with shorter development cycles, faster time-to-market and the ability to be more competitive in the global marketplace.

Supply chain issues, energy independence, sustainability goals, and local innovation and manufacturing velocity are among the key factors driving an influx of public and private investment to establish the foundation of a new domestic supply chain for EV and industrial batteries. The US government reported that EV suppliers and OEMs have announced US$36 billion of investment to meet growing demand.

The new laboratory will house dedicated UL Solutions experts and equipment capable of providing thermal fire propagation, electrical, mechanical abuse and environmental testing based on various UL and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards, United Nations (UN) goals and initiatives, and Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and OEM specifications.

UL Solutions plans to open its North America Advanced Battery Laboratory in mid-2024. When completed, the facility will be one of North America’s most extensive battery testing and engineering laboratories.