Ford has expanded its electric vehicle testing facilities at its UK headquarters in Essex, investing further in the Dunton Campus global center for its high-growth commercial vehicle business. The opening of the £24m (US$30m) Propulsion Development Laboratory marks the third new laboratory launched in two years at Dunton for developing and testing EV powertrains.
Transport Minister Anthony Browne MP inaugurated the facility, which underscores Dunton Campus’s role in Ford’s European electric vehicle plans. The laboratory enables the testing of EV powertrain components to simulate wear levels that customers would experience after years of vehicle use.
The new laboratory features eight vehicle-size rooms capable of testing electric power units and propulsion systems, enabling around-the-clock reliability testing. It is designed to accommodate testing for EVs, hybrids, and combustion powertrains.
Over the past two years, Ford has invested £47m (US$59m) in the adjacent Advanced Propulsion Laboratory (APL) and the E:PRiME (Electrified Powertrain in Manufacturing Engineering) prototype build facility, which focus on noise and vibration reduction in EV powertrains, hybrid powertrain development and manufacturing processes for prototype EV components.
Ford’s expansion aligns with its plans to launch nine new EV vans and cars by 2025, including five van-based vehicles.
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.”
Browne added, “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.”