Chalmers University of Technology and Swedish research institute RISE have commenced construction of an electromobility test center in Sweden. The Swedish Electric Transport Laboratory (SEEL) will be spread across three facilities in Säve, Borås and Nykvarn, and is scheduled to be operational by the second quarter of 2023.
According to the partners, close collaboration between the owners (Chalmers University of Technology and RISE), the Swedish government and industrial partners CEVT, Scania, Volvo Cars and the Volvo Group, will make the test center a key resource in terms of making Sweden a leader in electromobility.
At the test center’s three plants, industry, institutes and academia will be able to test most types of technology and safety equipment related to electrified transport – including innovative new concepts at early stages of development.
The biggest of SEEL’s three plants is being constructed in Säve, Gothenburg, and will meet the needs of developers of heavy and light vehicles, trucks and buses, construction equipment, aircraft and ships. Tests will be possible on all types of battery systems, including components from subcontractors. Safety tests will be the focus of the Borås plant, related to charging, short circuits, vibrations, mechanical shock, extreme temperatures and fire risks. In Nykvarn, the emphasis will be on research and testing in the field of battery technology, and dynamic testing of components for heavy vehicles.
“Together with RISE, Chalmers has chosen to assume active proprietorial responsibility for the testbed, so as to facilitate the most efficient support for the Swedish and European automotive industries in their rapid transition to electromobility. The venture simultaneously provides us with excellent opportunities to further consolidate our research and education in the field of electromobility,” said Stefan Bengtsson, president and CEO of Chalmers University of Technology.