Intertek Unveils New Industry-Leading Powertrain Development Facility

Intertek, the leading quality solutions provider, today announced that its Milton Keynes-based Transportation Technologies has cemented its place as a European Centre of Excellence for automotive powertrain testing and development services, as it unveils the highest-specification engine test cells available commercially in the UK.

Intertek has also announced investment in low carbon vehicle and electric machine test cells at the powertrain test laboratory to create a new, industry-leading facility for high performance electric and hybrid drivetrain testing. This will enable Intertek’s automotive customers to reach their goals on air quality emissions and CO₂ reduction in their future vehicles. The 1000 kW test cells and associated infrastructure are designed to be highly flexible so will be heavily used by truck, bus and off-highway industry customers too.

This combined multi-million pound investment in six of the highest-specification engine test cells, turns Intertek Milton Keynes Transportation Technologies into an industry-leading powertrain development facility.

Mike Hawes, Chief Executive of The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), said: "This state-of-the-art facility re-affirms Intertek’s place at the forefront of automotive powertrain technology development. I’m confident the impressive specifications of the new test equipment will support Intertek as a European Centre of Excellence for hybrid and electric vehicle driveline development.”

Four of the new test cells are fully operational and the final two, to be commissioned in August, will be equipped with high speed and low speed 550 kW A/C transient dynamometers permitting engine or full driveline testing. The design of these two test cells incorporates removable access panels, which permits cross-linking of dynamometers between cells to deliver twin axle driveline testing.

These two cells are supported by two 150 kW, 1000 V battery simulators which can be linked to deliver 300 kW to one cell or split between two cells. This enables clients to test hybrid and EV drivelines with one or two driven axles. Finally, the new A/C generating dynos will enable the site to become self-sufficient in electrical power requirements during testing.

Intertek Milton Keynes is part of Intertek’s global Transport Technologies service with 800 staff worldwide with facilities in the US, the UK, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, China and Japan.

For more information, visit http://www.intertek.com/automotive/miltonkeynes/

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