Seat opens new battery research and development centre

Seat has inaugurated its new Test Centre Energy (TCE), a new battery research and development centre for electric and plug-in hybrid cars in which the company has invested more than $10 million.

Located at the carmaker's Technical Centre 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 Mo, as well as other Volkswagen Group brands.

The Test Center Energy covers 1,500sqm, and 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 and MQB platforms, as well as different chargers used in all electrified vehicles.

In total, it has a test capacity of 1.3MW, 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 also perform up to 6,000 complete validation analyses of high-voltage system-related functions 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 TCE also features several climatic chambers which test batteries and modules under extreme thermal conditions, between -25 and +55 degress Celsius, thus simulating the different conditions that a car may encounter in its life cycle.

The TCE represents a further step in Seat's electrification strategy and is intended to become a key element of its project to lead the electrification of the Spanish automotive industry.