SEAT Opens Battery Research and Development Centre

SEAT inaugurated the Test Center Energy (TCE), a new battery research and development center for electric and plug-in hybrid cars. The company has invested more than 7 million euros in the center.

Located at the carmaker's Technical Centre in Martorell, the TCE is being used to develop and test the performance of energy systems for electric and hybrid vehicles from CUPRA, SEAT, and SEAT MÓ, as well as other Volkswagen Group brands. TCE forms part of the Volkswagen Group’s global R&D network and is the Group’s first such center in Europe outside Germany, alongside those in China and the United States.

It represents a further step in the company's electrification strategy and is intended to become a key element of SEAT's project to lead the electrification of the Spanish automotive industry. The TCE is part of the 5 billion investment plan announced by the company to electrify our vehicles and facilities. It also aspires to become a space for innovation, collaboration, and research, offering training for young people in electric car production.

Built over just 18 months, the Test Center Energy covers 1,500 square meters. It includes different spaces for the validation of battery modules with the most advanced cell chemistry technology, covering the full range of voltages used in the automotive industry. The TCE is currently focusing on batteries for the MEB (electric) and MQB (hybrid) platforms, as well as different chargers used in all electrified vehicles.