SEAT opens battery research and development centre

SEAT has opened a new battery research and development centre for electric and plug-in hybrid cars, called the Test Center Energy (TCE).

Located in Martorell, the TCE is being used to develop and test the performance of energy systems for electric and hybrid vehicles from CUPRA, SEAT and SEAT MÓ, as well as other Volkswagen Group brands.

The TCE represents a further step in the company's electrification strategy and is intended to become a key element of SEAT's project to lead the electrification of the Spanish automotive industry. This latest investment is part of the five billion euro investment plan announced by the company to electrify its vehicles and facilities.

The TCE also aspires to become a space for innovation, collaboration and research, offering training for young people in electric car production.

As part of its strategy, SEAT plans to manufacture electric vehicles in Martorell from 2025, and to play a key role in the democratisation of electric vehicles .

The Test Center Energy includes different spaces for the validation of battery modules with the most advanced cell chemistry technology, covering the full range of voltages used in the automotive industry. The TCE is currently focusing on batteries for the MEB (electric) and MQB (hybrid) platforms, as well as different chargers used in all electrified vehicles.

In total, it has a test capacity of 1.3 megawatts, which is equivalent to the power required by over 100,000 mobile phones charging simultaneously. More than 25 highly qualified professionals work in these facilities.

The TCE can perform up to 6,000 complete validation analyses of high-voltage system-related functions (battery, charging, safety) annually. Batteries undergo an average of more than 17,500 hours of testing to ensure optimal performance under all circumstances throughout their life cycle.

The facilities also house a workshop designed and equipped for testing electrified vehicles with the space to work with up to eight cars at a time. Tests of the energy system, functional safety and function integration with all the electronics of hybrid and electric cars are carried out here. The high-voltage safety bench alone runs about 1,750 tests per year.

The TCE also features several climatic chambers which test batteries and modules under extreme thermal conditions, between - 25 and + 55 ºC, thus simulating the different conditions that a car may encounter in its life cycle. To design and manufacture prototypes and build interfaces for the test systems, a specific area has been equipped with the latest technology.