FEV and the Art of EV Testing

The legendary powertrain-engineering group has expanded its global footprint into EV testing and development to keep pace with changing technologies and customer demand.

Before the impending flood of electric vehicles (EV) expected for the 2025 timeframe enters the market, every one of them - and their subsystems - must be fully tested, validated and calibrated. Companies specializing in engineering, design and testing services are making significant investments to meet industry demand in this already-booming field. One of them, the Aachen, Germany-based FEV Group, has expanded its global footprint into the electrification-testing realm in a big way.

Famous for its powertrain-development competency, FEV recently added a 12,000-m² (∼130,000 ft²) facility dedicated to testing batteries, electric drives and related components. Dubbed eDLP, the complex is among the largest test facilities in FEV's global network and claims to be the largest independent battery-test facility in the world. With a solarpanel array integrated into its full roof area, the new complex near the village of Sandersdorf-Brehna brims with resources for the comprehensive testing of cells, modules and complete high-voltage batteries.