Continental has expanded its Nuremberg centre of competence for electric vehicles with a EUR2.6m (US$3.4m) investment in its testing facility at the HighTech Centre North.
The facility will carry out testing on power electronics – the systems governing the interplay between components in electric and hybrid vehicles. Up to now, test benches were spread out across several facilities.
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The new test centre gathers all the benches together and places them in the immediate vicinity of the development departments. “The move will allow us to blend testing and development of power-electronics systems and will allow us to refine products more quickly,” said Continental hybrid electric vehicle business unit, Xavier Pujol.
“The new test centre will also allow us to cut costs considerably over the long run and thus improve the competitiveness of the solutions that we develop and manufacture for customers worldwide.”
Continental provides systems and components necessary to produce an electric car, starting with electric motors, through batteries and power electronics, to systems to stabilise a car’s electrical system and tyres for electric cars.
From the beginning of this year, the automotive supplier has been working with Korean battery specialist, SK Innovation.
The new joint venture, SK Continental E-motion, develops, manufactures and markets lithium ion batteries.
