Doors open on new £2m advanced battery development suite

The 1,875 sqft Advanced Battery Development Suite (ABDS) in Nuneaton is a dedicated facility for the testing and development of high voltage battery systems.

The facility is reportedly capable of high resolution cell characterisation, as well as testing battery cells and modules through representative charge and discharge cycles at a wide range of temperatures to provide fully representative testing profiles.

Representing £2m of investment by the HORIBA Group into HORIBA MIRA’s engineering capabilities, the facility enables HORIBA MIRA to perform testing of full battery packs and battery pack components in both physical and simulation domains.

The testing areas range from characterising cell behaviour, verifying software control algorithms and exercising both prototype and production battery packs. HORIBA MIRA will also be able to provide system level verification using ABDS’ integrated Hardware in Loop (HiL) equipment and its EMC facilities.

HORIBA MIRA will now be the first business in the UK able to provide vehicle manufacturers with a full suite of testing from battery components through to complete battery packs by integrating the power capabilities of the ABDS facility with its independently UK Accreditation Service audited EMC facilities.

This includes EMC and electrical transient testing of battery packs in simulated real world driving conditions in both a charge and discharge state at up to 800A.

Managing director at HORIBA MIRA, Declan Allen explained: “We’ve worked with many of the leading global manufacturers and automotive suppliers over the past 70 years and this investment will enable us to deliver essential testing to support manufacturers and automotive suppliers in developing hybrid and battery systems.”

Advanced battery development

Advanced battery development represents a growing area of interest for the UK, with sizeable investments being announced on a regular basis.

The Faraday Battery Challenge, for example, is a £246m government investment into “game-changing” battery technology through its Industrial Strategy.

It aims to develop safe, cost-effective, durable, lighter weight, higher performing and recyclable batteries in the UK which will power the next generation of electric vehicles – a growing market the UK is already well-positioned to take advantage of.

Furthermore, a partnership between universities in the Coventry and Warwickshire area and Coventry City Council has been awarded £80m to establish a new National Battery Manufacturing Development Facility (NBMDF); and a project, funded through the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC), has seen Nissan collaborate with Hyperdrive, the University of Newcastle, Warwick Manufacturing Group and Zero Carbon Futures to produce high density battery technology for the new LEAF, as well as help strengthen the electrified supply chain capability in the UK.