Intertek UK Transportation Technologies Invests in Creating a New European Electric Vehicle Propulsion Testing Centre of Excellence

 

Intertek, a leading global Total Quality Assurance provider to industries worldwide, is delighted to announce a European Centre of Excellence for high voltage EV propulsion systems testing in Milton Keynes.

 

With the rapid advances in electrification technologies in the automotive industry and the accelerated global adoption of Electric Vehicles, the UK EV powertrain test market demand is forecast to double by 2021. The current demand is already far in excess of UK test industry capacity.

 

With an already existing powertrain testing laboratory in Milton Keynes, which has achieved a number of industry firsts, the new Centre of Excellence for EV Propulsion Systems Testing at a nearby secondary location, with its additional capacity and capabilities, will significantly enhance Intertek’s offering for customers in the automotive sector and place Intertek at the forefront of the industry for electric vehicle (EV) powertrain testing capabilities.

 

The new investment and capabilities will encompass motors, inverters, axle modules, all on-board vehicle electrical

systems and complete electric vehicle testing. Specific new capabilities will include ten EV powertrain test cells, a

complete four-wheel drive full vehicle climatic test chamber, electric axle module test rigs, three state-of-the-art

eMotor dyno rigs operating at speeds up to 27,000rpm, and several specialist e-machine development rigs.

 

Intertek Transportation Technologies at Tanners Drive is already the largest independent automotive EV powertrain

testing facility in the UK and is delighted to have been awarded funding support from South East Midlands Local

Enterprise Partnership (“SEMLEP”) via their Local Growth Fund. This investment in the facility, due to be complete in Autumn 2020, will create new roles through the service and site expansion.

 

Rob van Dorp, Intertek UK & Eire CEO said: “We are delighted to invest in this Centre of Excellence, and by significantly developing our EV testing capabilities, we will continue to enable clients to accelerate their equipment and systems capabilities in the fast-developing field of EV powertrain. As the largest independent automotive EV powertrain testing facility, we would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the SEMLEP for their partnership as we continue to develop our testing offering and delighted at the employment opportunities this will bring to the Milton Keynes area. We will continue to partner with customers at the forefront of the next generation of automotive development and support them to develop the best electric vehicles for the future”.

 

Judith Barker, Director of Programmes and Governance at SEMLEP said: “The South East Midlands is home to major UK technical testing facilities that bring the very best of British and European innovation from industries involved in the future of mobility and clean growth fields to the area. As set out in our Local Industrial Strategy, the SEMLEP area’s ambition is to use clean technologies and infrastructure to strengthen our area’s

industry expertise and capabilities in innovation. Through our Local Growth Fund investment in Intertek’s new Centre of Excellence, we are developing a new public-private partnership to help achieve this ambition and support economic growth for the South East Midlands.”

 

Intertek Transportation Technologies has more than 30 years’ expertise in fired powertrains and has been testing high voltage EV and HEV systems since 2011. It also has laboratories in Germany, Sweden, USA and China.