After 100,000 km of testing by Germany’s ADAC, the high-voltage battery of Volkswagen’s ID.3 retained a net capacity of 93%. An ID.3 Pro S with 77 kWh net battery energy content was tested. Volkswagen, as for all other models in the ID. family, guarantees that the battery will have at... Read more →

A leading supplier of components and sealing systems for the electric vehicle industry, Freudenberg Sealing Technologies has added a battery testing laboratory to its R&D laboratories at its North American headquarters in Plymouth, Mich. The multi-million-dollar investment will facilitate in-house battery and battery component testing, including simulated thermal runaway, and... Read more →

Volvo Cars opened a new, state-of-the-art software testing center in Gothenburg, Sweden that amplifies our capacity for integrated software testing at all levels. At a size of around 22,000 square meters and representing an initial investment of around SEK 300 million (US$27.3 million), the new software testing center is the... Read more →

Westport Fuel Systems announced the successful completion of a heavy transport demonstration with its H2 HPDI fuel system equipped prototype truck hauling a refrigerated trailer in Madrid, Spain. The demo marks the first of its kind in Spain. The Westport H2 HPDI fuel system-equipped demonstration truck unloading fresh freight at... Read more →

Signalling its strong commitment to the Wackersdorf location in Upper Palatinate and as part of its continuing e-mobility ramp-up, the BMW Group is investing around €100 million between now and 2026 in a new battery testing center that will be integrated into the site’s existing building structures. The first deliverables... Read more →

Researchers at the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS) have developed a technology for real-time detection of micro defects on the fuel cell surface during the production process. The technology is based on deep learning and enables real-time 3D measurement. It can detect defects on the surface shape... Read more →

IVECO BUS officially inaugurated its new testing and validation facility, called E-BENCH, located in the R&D center in Vénissieux, the global headquarters of Iveco Group's bus and coach activities. Extremely versatile, E-BENCH allows testing of both individual components and complete vehicles in real driving conditions, simulating all types of missions... Read more →

Hyundai Motor North America (HMNA) and Hyundai America Technical Center, Inc., (HATCI) opened their $51.4-million Safety Test and Investigation Laboratory (STIL) at a ribbon cutting ceremony in Superior Township, Mich. The STIL is supported by 160 employees and is planned to be operational by mid-October. The new safety facility is... Read more →

Stellantis celebrated the grand opening of its first Battery Technology Center, at the Mirafiori complex in Turin, Italy. The €40-million investment to develop the center enhances Stellantis’ capabilities to design, develop and test battery packs, modules, high-voltage cells and software that will power upcoming Stellantis brand vehicles. The center is... Read more →

REE Automotive, an automotive technology company and provider of full by-wire electric trucks and platforms, announced that joint testing with HORIBA-MIRA confirms the feasibility of REE’s x-by-wire vehicle control system to pass FMVSS certification requirements. REEcorner x-by-wire REE contracted HORIBA-MIRA, a world-leader in testing, to perform internal tests, modeling certain... Read more →

SAKOR Technologies , a recognized leader in the area of high-performance dynamometer systems, has developed a series of dynamometer systems ideal for customers required to test and verify the level of efficiency of electric motors in accordance with a variety of national and international standards, including IEC 60034-2-1; IEEE 112B;... Read more →

The Measuring Division of Kaman Precision Products, Inc., a leading designer and manufacturer of high-performance, precision non-contact position measuring systems, announced the availability of its improved ThreadChecker. This line of non-contact application-specific sensors provides rugged, reliable verification of thread presence or absence in nearly any electrically conductive material. The ThreadChecker... Read more →

Over the past year, Consumer Reports (CR) sought to answer the question of the effect of temperature on electric vehicle range by conducting seasonal testing on popular new all-wheel-drive EVs: the Ford Mustang Mach-E extended range, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Tesla Model Y Long Range, and Volkswagen ID.4 Pro S. The... Read more →

The BMW Group launched its new test site for fully automated development and test drives in Sokolov (Czechia), the Future Mobility Development Center (FMDC). As the first development location of its kind in central Europe, the FMDC, in which BMW Group invested €300 million, will play a key role in... Read more →

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (VWGoA) is starting its first autonomous vehicle test program in Austin beginning in July 2023. The company will kick off its program with a batch of 10 all-electric ID. Buzz vehicles outfitted with an autonomous driving (AD) technology platform developed by the global Volkswagen Group... Read more →

By 2024, nearly 40 La Poste vans fitted with the Michelin Uptis airless tire (earlier post) will deliver letters and parcels in the Lesquin, Valenciennes and Douai sectors, in the Hauts-de-France region (North of France). Three initial vehicles will be put into circulation as of June 27, within the framework... Read more →

Volvo Trucks North America is working with the University of Minnesota (UMN) to conduct extreme weather testing for its Class 8 VNR Electric model to analyze the impact of ambient temperature on a truck’s battery life. UMN has teamed up with Murphy Logistics Solutions (Murphy) to test the battery-electric trucks... Read more →

SAKOR Technologies, a recognized leader in the area of high-performance dynamometer systems, is introducing the DynoLAB GenV next-generation test automation controller, which allows even a non-programmer to implement complex test systems and testing standards. Delivering a new benchmark in modularity, performance, robustness, and expandability, DynoLAB GenV is built on the... Read more →

A newly approved standard from ASTM International’s recovered carbon black committee (D36) provides a test that will help to differentiate products and provide a quality control tool for producers and users. Recovered carbon black (rCB) is a recycled product made from end-of-life tires. Recovered carbon black can reduce the tire... Read more →

A Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) team has developed a mechanical testing device to analyze fluids and lubricants formulated for electric vehicles. The team modified a commercial tribology testing device to give it the capability to evaluate the impact of electric currents in fluids, measuring the wear and friction on the... Read more →

Tenneco has established new test facilities for hydrogen-powered internal combustion engines at its Powertrain test centers in Burscheid, Germany, and Ann Arbor, Michigan. These two test cells specifically dedicated to hydrogen ICEs enhance the company’s globally integrated ICE test capabilities, supporting original equipment (OE) engine and vehicle manufacturers as they... Read more →

Liebherr-Aerospace Toulouse is working on systems and equipment to reduce fuel consumption and to contribute to more carbon-neutral aircraft. An emblematic project consists of using a hydrogen fuel cell power source to generate sufficient electrical power, in the range of 400 kW, to feed all the non-propulsion systems of next-generation... Read more →

The University of New Hampshire InterOperability Laboratory (UNH-IOL), an independent provider of broad-based testing and standards conformance services for the networking industry, is partnering with Microchip Technology to expand testing for the 1000BASE-T1 PCS and PHY Control market to help further compliance for the automotive industry. The adoption of Ethernet... Read more →

Porsche Engineering and Vodafone Business have established Europe’s first 5G hybrid mobile private network (MPN) at Nardò Technical Center (NTC) for the development of intelligent and connected vehicles. The proving ground in Southern Italy, which is owned by Porsche and operated by Porsche Engineering, now offers its customers a real-time... Read more →

Rolls-Royce has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Alder Fuels, a process technology and project development company in the low-carbon transportation fuels industry (earlier post), to test Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) produced based on Alder Fuels’ proprietary greencrude technology (AGC). The testing, which will include flight tests on a... Read more →

Volvo Trucks is testing fuel cell electric trucks that have an operational range comparable to diesel trucks, up to 1,000 km. A second pilot phase is to follow in a few years’ time and will see customer tests on public roads. When running the pilots, the filling of green hydrogen... Read more →

Daimler Truck subsidiary Torc Robotics, a developer of self-driving vehicle technology, announced it is working with Schneider toward implementing a pilot program utilizing Torc’s autonomous test fleet. As part of the agreement, Schneider will provide freight loads for Torc’s pilot operations and unique insights on truckload freight that will help... Read more →

MAHLE Powertrain is investing $4 million in a new powertrain dynamometer facility in Plymouth, Michigan, aimed at accelerating vehicle development as manufacturers continue the shift towards electrified vehicles. Capable of supporting full powertrain development, from the testing and calibration of individual drive components to the complete driveline systems of complex... Read more →

Amazon and Rhenus will test the Mercedes-Benz eActros LongHaul electric truck (earlier post) in real-world operations as early as 2023. The two companies have each signed a letter of intent with Mercedes-Benz Trucks. The logistics service provider Rhenus will use the e-truck in many different business areas in order to... Read more →

Ferguson Enterprises is collaborating with Ford Motor Company to place a first-of-its-kind F550 Fuel Cell Prototype Chassis Work Truck in service within Ferguson’s daily fleet operations for six months. Participation in Ford’s F550 Fuel Cell Prototype Work Truck, a DOE SuperTruck 3 Initiative, complements Ferguson’s overall sustainability strategy to reduce... Read more →

Bosch has equipped two vans with hydrogen fuel cell technology and started test operation on the road. The partner in the project is ABT eLine GmbH, which designed and converted the vehicles together with Bosch Engineering GmbH. The fuel cell enables long ranges and short refueling times, which makes long... Read more →

Authorities have approved testing with ammonia at the Alfa Laval Test & Training Center. When installation of the testing setup is completed by the end of 2022, the center will be able to work with all fuels in consideration as the marine industry decarbonizes. Just as it has for LNG,... Read more →

Alfa Laval is the driving force in a marine fuel cell development project exploring the potential of high-temperature proton exchange membrane (HT-PEM) fuel cells using methanol as fuel as a source of marine auxiliary power. Funded by Danish EUDP (Energy Technology Development and Demonstration Program), the project is a joint... Read more →

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is introducing a nighttime test of pedestrian automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems to address the high percentage of pedestrian crashes that occur on dark roads. Four of the first 23 midsize cars, midsize SUVs and small pickups tested earn the highest rating of... Read more →

Allison Transmission announced the availability of hydrogen fuel cell and compressed natural gas (CNG) testing at its Vehicle Electrification + Environmental Test Center (VEET). As part of Allison’s goal to support the development and deployment of alternative fuel vehicles that reduce emissions, the company has completed the installation of two... Read more →

In 2021, the Electrify America charging network registered more than 1.45 million customer charging sessions in Canada and the US—five times the customer charging sessions over 2020. In January 2021, Electrify America launched a Roaming EV Test Fleet program to conduct intensive field tests of the network. The company deploys... Read more →

GKN Automotive has developed a new test rig capable of handling the unique requirements of electric vehicles. The rig, installed at GKN Automotive’s Offenbach facility, can handle the extreme dynamics and higher torque of electrified powertrains, which make conventional load test rigs unsuitable for driveline parts of the latest generation,... Read more →

Germany-based innolectric AG, a provider of charging and power systems for electromobility, and Brazil-based niobium company CBMM are investigating whether nanocrystalline magnetic materials can significantly increase efficiency in electromobility. As part of the joint research work, an innovative soft magnetic core material with niobium is being tested in direct application... Read more →

Jaguar Land Rover has taken another step towards a new era of electrification and connectivity by opening a facility to test the next generation of vehicles for electrical and radio interference. The Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) laboratory at Gaydon in the UK, will ensure future vehicles meet current and future legislation... Read more →

Archer Aviation successfully completed all of its “critical azimuth” flight tests, marking the completion of the second of three key phases of flight testing. The purpose of these tests are to validate the crosswind capabilities of Archer’s eVTOL aircraft configuration and flight control systems. The company has now successfully flown... Read more →

This week, CAF started dynamic track testing of the hydrogen-powered demonstrator train being developed for the FCH2RAIL project. FCH2RAIL is a consortium of CAF, DLR, Toyota, Renfe, ADIF, CNH2, IP and Stemmann-Technik. This demonstrator train is based on one of Renfe’s commuter trains, in which a new power generation system... Read more →

The Group is presenting the first two track sections for testing autonomous vehicles and assistance systems at the new BMW Group Future Mobility Center in Sokolov, the Czech Republic. At the new test site, the BMW Group will continue to advance electrification, digitalization and automated driving. The proving ground in... Read more →

UL Solutions announced the Battery Enclosure Thermal Runaway (BETR) evaluation, the first material screening test method at UL Solutions to evaluate electric vehicle (EV) battery enclosure material. The offering is based on UL 2596, Test Method for Thermal and Mechanical Performance of Battery Enclosure Materials. Battery performance has continually presented... Read more →

Rolls-Royce is launching a new leading-edge hydrogen program and also given a further update on its research into hybrid-electric power as it continues to pioneer new forms of aviation sustainability. Rolls-Royce is planning a comprehensive series of rig and engine tests to prove hydrogen can safely and efficiently deliver power... Read more →

Southwest Research Institute is testing the durability of valves on fuel tanks for hydrogen-powered vehicles. Hydrogen is increasingly being considered as an alternative to fossil fuels in the transportation sector. The work is being completed as part of an effort with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to evaluate... Read more →

Rolls-Royce has commissioned its first in-house test bench for mtu hydrogen engines at its Augsburg site. Over the past year and a half, the company has invested around €10 million at Rolls-Royce Solutions in Augsburg in test bench modernization, hydrogen infrastructure and other measures as part of its ‘Net Zero... Read more →

MAHLE Powertrain has opened two new facilities in Northampton, the result of a £15-million (US$18-million) investment over the last five years (including £3.6 million (US$4.3 million) of UK Government funding), that will deliver much-needed testing capability as the automotive industry accelerates its transition towards decarbonized propulsion. The purpose-built facilities allow... Read more →

Researchers at the University of Michigan have developed an optimized generic battery cycling framework that could reduce the time for both simulation and physical testing of new electric vehicle battery designs by about 75%. The optimization framework could significantly reduce the cost of assessing how battery configurations will perform over... Read more →

Monolith, an AI software platform used by the world’s leading automotive, aerospace and industrial engineering teams from Siemens to Honeywell, announced that engineering teams at the BMW Group are using its software to accelerate the development of their vehicles. By training Monolith self-learning models with the company’s engineering test data,... Read more →

Enel X, Enel's subsidiary dedicated to innovative products and services, together with EV maker Arrival, have entered into a partnership to test the battery-electric bus in Italy. The aim is to foster the growth of electrified public transport globally through increasingly high-performance and competitive solutions. The tests will be carried... Read more →