Batteries in climate testing

Batteries in climate testing

Heat over 40 degrees Celsius, the sun beating down on the car, hardly any cooling wind. These are difficult conditions for the temperature-sensitive Li-ion battery. If an electric car is then charged quickly, the battery can become too hot and be damaged. In order to be able to test this realistically, Mahle has now equipped its climate wind tunnel in Stuttgart with a direct current fast charging system. The test engineers can charge electric vehicles with up to 350 kilowatts in under five minutes for a range of 100 kilometers - under all climatic conditions, even in extreme heat. The measurement data provides information about the effects on the Li-ion battery and interior comfort and thus provides important insights for vehicle development.

“By expanding the range of services offered by our climate wind tunnel towards e-mobility, we will be able to provide our customers with even better support in the development of their e-cars in the future,” said Jumana Al-Sibai, member of the Mahle management team and responsible for the thermal management division. “The battery in particular is particularly demanding; Mahle can make a valuable contribution here with its extensive system expertise in temperature management.” Fast charging with up to 350 kilowatts of charging power places a large heat load on the Li-ion battery. The vehicle's thermal management system ensures that the sensitive battery does not overheat and, in the worst case, is damaged. At the same time, it must not get too hot in the driver's cab. The facility in Stuttgart was built in 1937 as the world's first wind tunnel in the automotive industry. In 2000 it was completely modernized as part of a new building. As a pioneer in this field, Mahle has continued to develop the climate wind tunnel to this day.