UL Solutions, a global leader in applied safety sciences, announced today that it plans to open a new battery testing laboratory in Auburn Hills , Michigan by mid-2024. Upon completion it will be one of the largest battery engineering and testing laboratories in North America. UL Solutions' expert battery engineers and laboratory personnel will assess compliance with safety and performance requirements of electric vehicle (EV) and industrial battery products for the United States (US) and global markets

The new lab will be located at the Auburn Hills Technology Park complex near Detroit , the automotive capital of the world. The facility will house state-of-the-art battery test equipment so that UL Solutions can offer safety and performance testing services to automotive and industrial original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and their suppliers. Services will include:

• Test capabilities at the battery cell, module and complete package level for thermal propagation
• cremation tests
• Design verification and product validation
• Electrical, mechanical, abuse, and environmental tests based on various UL and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards, United Nations (UN) and Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) goals and initiatives, as well as OEM specifications

"The acceleration of electrification globally, especially in mobility, has heightened the focus on battery safety," said Jennifer Scanlon , President and CEO of UL Solutions. "UL Solutions' investment in Michigan is the next step in our broader Midwest and global strategy to establish hubs in critical automotive markets that support the EV ecosystem in the proper, safe and sustainable commercialization of related technologies".

According to the EY Mobility Consumer Index 2022, consumer preference for EV technology continues to grow. The study revealed that more than half of those surveyed (52%) intend to purchase a fully electric, plug-in hybrid or hybrid vehicle. According to the US Department of Energy, North American EV battery manufacturing capacity is expected to be nearly 20 times greater in 2030 than in 2021 to meet growing demand. A wave of new EV battery plants will increase capacity from 55 gigawatt-hours per year (GWh/year) in 2021 to almost 1,000 GWh/year in 2030. By 2030, production capacity will be able to support between 10 and 13 million all-electric vehicles per year. As a way to optimize supply chain logistics,

"Companies across the supply chain are rapidly developing innovative EV battery and mobility technologies and solutions in Michigan," said Quentin L. Messer, Jr. , CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. "As EV technology becomes increasingly complex, safety and security will be critical to the adoption of these vehicles. We applaud UL Solutions' efforts to bring these products to market safely and at the same time , contributing to Michigan's world-class mobility ecosystem. Welcome to UL Solutions, Team Michigan appreciates this vote of confidence in our great state."

The race for EV adoption has resulted in manufacturers often looking to a knowledgeable and trusted third party to ensure performance and safety requirements are met. The Auburn Hills lab demonstrates UL Solutions' commitment to operating at the forefront of the industry and applying the company's safety science expertise to enable technology innovation and accelerate time-to-market.

"Our clients' success revolves around the ability to balance innovation and speed to market with meeting performance criteria and demonstrating product compliance in dynamic and demanding supply chains," said Milan Dotlich , Vice President and General Manager of the Energy and Industrial Automation group at UL Solutions. "In the Auburn Hills laboratory, as well as across our global network of testing laboratories, we will help automotive and industrial battery manufacturers and their suppliers solve these critical challenges. Our services contribute to shorter development cycles and faster time-to-market, key elements for competitive positioning in the global marketplace."

"We are honored that UL Solutions has chosen Auburn Hills for its battery testing laboratory. This new state-of-the-art facility will build on Auburn Hills ' reputation as a leader in the future of mobility and electrification," said Kevin R. McDaniel , mayor of Auburn Hills . "We are excited to welcome this talented team of security science experts to Auburn Hills and look forward to working with them on their continued success well into the future."

 

Source:prnewswire.com

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