Ford has extended its investment in its UK electric vehicle test laboratory through the opening of a third site in Dunton, Essex.
The new Propulsion Development Laboratory – which brings Ford’s total investment in the site to over £70 million across three facilities – was opened by UK Transport Minister Anthony Browne. The opening of this latest site comes following an investment of £47 million in an Advanced Propulsion Laboratory and a separate Electrified Powertrain in Manufacturing Engineering (E:PRIME).
Browne said: “It was fantastic to visit Ford and test drive their new BlueCruise technology as well as open its state-of-the-art modular test lab, which are essential for scaling up the UK’s electric vehicle production.
“It’s great to see a commitment to UK EV development following our ZEV mandate becoming law earlier this year, meaning we have a clear pathway for reducing car and van emissions.”
The Advanced Propulsion Laboratory works to reduce noise and vibrations from electric vehicle powertrains, while the E:PRIME site develops ‘advanced manufacturing processes’ through the creation of prototype EV components ahead of them going into full production.
The newly created Propulsion Development Laboratory features eight vehicle-size rooms where Ford can test electric power units and propulsion systems. In doing so, Ford says that it is ‘maximising development time’ through the testing of EV, hybrid and combustion engine set-ups.
Lisa Brankin, chair and managing director of Ford Britain and Ireland, said: “I’m delighted that the transport minister Anthony Browne joined us today to officially open our new Propulsion Development Laboratory. This is the third new test facility opened on our Dunton Campus in two years, underpinning the site’s key role in delivering Ford’s electric vehicle plan in Europe.”