CETECOM ICT Services GmbH in the southern industrial region of the state capital has set up the highly modern test centre for testing lithium batteries up to 700 kg. Several million Euros have been invested in the new building since the start of the year. The safety of batteries for electric vehicles will be tested there in future to state-of-the-art standards. The testing infrastructure, which is unique in the world, makes it possible to test large batteries to current standards in a highly modern environment.

Minimising risks
As well as the problems of range and charging times, the safety of lithium batteries is increasingly in the spotlight. Electric vehicles are supplied with a voltage of 300 to 500 V and higher, which is dangerous for people. Mechanical damage to the battery can trigger internal short circuits and cause the housing to melt. Also, the components of a lithium battery are easily combustible and difficult to extinguish. In the event of a traffic accident, the fire services on their way to the scene must know these risks and take them into account. Battery manufacturers are therefore searching for solutions to minimise these risks. Internal protective circuits with temperature sensors and voltage monitoring are intended to prevent overloading and thus the ignition of the combustible substances. To assess the research results, all developments in battery technology must be tested in future.

Demonstrating foresight
The CETECOM test building is now the sought-after test centre for checking the reliability of the batteries developed and compliance with safety and environmental standards. Leading lithium battery manufacturers are already making use of it. They benefit from the foresight of the Saarland company, because when the test building was at the planning stage, the demand for standardised test procedures was generally underestimated. Thanks to CETECOM, all the necessary testing and analysis procedures are now available: crash testing, thermal shock, short circuit behaviour, destructive testing. And they are in great demand.

Inauguration of the test centre
The test centre for lithium batteries will be officially inaugurated on Wednesday 6th October from 5pm by Minister for Economic Affairs Dr Christoph Hartmann. Before that a specialist audience will be able to learn more about the newly created laboratory with interesting lectures on the subject of electric transport and battery safety from 1:30pm.

Applications can be made at
infoautomotive.saarland.de, tel.: 00 49 (0)681 9520-491.

Comment from automotive.saarland
The Saarland automotive industry is one of Germany's economic heavyweights, employing around 46,000 people. Top German makes are supplied with engine parts, automatic transmissions and exhaust systems from the Saarland. All of these components belong in the field of internal combustion engine technology. And that's fine, because this type of drive will remain the dominant technology for decades to come. However, they will also be supplemented by electrified drives in the coming years. It is therefore important to promote and advance skills for electric transport here in the state. Companies like CETECOM make a significant contribution to this.

www.automotive.saarland.de