FEV opens state-of-the-art laboratory for customized battery systems and cells in Aachen, Germany.

Aachen, Germany, October 2023 – FEV, a globally leading vehicle developer and innovation driver in the sector of sustainable mobility solutions, is – among many other things – specialized on the development of tailor-made battery systems and their components. Currently, the company is expanding its service portfolio with a new battery cell lab at the Aachen headquarters. The state-of-the-art facility will focus on analysis and benchmarking of battery cells regarding performance, lifetime and safety behavior as well as enabling cell developments. The operations of the new laboratory will start in the fourth quarter of this year.

“The cell is a key component for the performance of battery systems and thus crucial for the success of electric vehicles and applications. That´s why it is of great importance to understand the composition and behavior of the wide variety of battery cells in detail,” said Dr. Michael Stapelbroek, Vice President Electric Powertrain at FEV.

Through cell disassembly and analyses, production of prototype cells, safety tests as well as in-depth material analyses, which is all offered by the lab, it will be possible to perform a detailed evaluation of the battery cells. This includes, among other things, performance, service life, safety behavior, internal structure and material composition for battery system design, cell design and cell simulation.

FEV accelerates development of battery systems

This range of competencies and the related advancement of the cell database can considerably accelerate and secure the development process of battery systems. The new lab also ideally extends the existing competencies of FEV’s battery cell test benches in Munich and France, which are focused on electrical cell characterization.

In parallel, FEV’s battery cell database provides an always up-to-date and comprehensive overview of e.g. relevant storage technologies and standard specifications for decision making.

“The completion of our new battery cell laboratory in Aachen once more underlines FEV’s innovative strength and leading position in the field of electromobility and battery systems, including cell development,” said Michael Stapelbroek.

The services of the new laboratory at a glance

• In-depth analysis and evaluation of battery cells and their materials for various applications
• Investigation of the safety behavior of the battery cell
• in the event of abuse, using a high-performance calorimeter developed in-house (usable, a.o. for particularly large battery cells, safety standard tests and complex analyses of the thermal runaway of battery cells)
• Battery cell openings and analysis of the structure and processing of all battery cell components
• Characterization of battery materials in terms of chemical composition, processing and electrochemical behavior (e.g. performance and lifetime)
• Installation of laboratory cells for the investigation of battery cells and their components for cell and system development
• Characterization and validation of the electrical behavior (performance and lifetime) of the battery cell
• Support of battery system development projects by internal generation of relevant data

Thanks to this range of services, FEV’s customers benefit from tailored solutions for sustainable mobility as well as shorter development times at lower costs.

About FEV

FEV has always pushed the limits.
FEV is a globally leading engineering provider in the automotive industry and internationally recognized leader of innovation across different sectors and industries. Professor Franz Pischinger laid the foundations by combining his background in academia and engineering with a great vision for continual progress. The company has supplied solutions and strategy consulting to the world’s largest automotive OEMs and has supported customers through the entire transportation and mobility ecosystem.

As the world continues to evolve, so does FEV.
That’s why FEV is unleashing its technological and strategic expertise into other areas. It applies its forward thinking to the energy sector. And its software and system know-how will enable the company to lead the way making intelligent solutions available to everyone. FEV brings together the brightest minds from different backgrounds and specialties to find new solutions for both current and future challenges.

But FEV won’t stop there.
Looking ahead, FEV continues to push the limits of innovation. With its highly qualified >7,500 employees at more than 40 locations globally, FEV imagines solutions that don’t just meet today’s needs but tomorrow’s. Ultimately, FEV keeps evolving – to a better, cleaner future built on sustainable mobility, energy and software that drives everything. For the company’s partners, its people and the world.

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