Vitesco Technologies has announced plans to build a research and development center in Tianjin, China. Continental’s powertrain business has signed a corresponding agreement with the Administration Committee of the Tianjin-Economic Technological Development Area.
The center will develop hybrid and electric powertrains and is scheduled for completion in 2021. The site will have a gross floor area of 9,000m2 and include a test lab where electric drive technologies can be tested and validated with advanced test facilities.
Thomas Stierle, head of the electrification technology business unit at Vitesco Technologies, said, “The new center in Tianjin further expands our development capacities right in the center of where we expect the biggest electrification growth over the next years.”
Vitesco started producing fully integrated electric axle drive systems for PSA and Hyundai in October 2019. Other vehicle manufacturers have also chosen Vitesco to supply drive systems for battery electric cars that will be launched over the coming months.
Yanfei Cao, head of the electrification technology business unit in Asia, said, “It will help us to forge even closer links to local customers in the world’s largest automotive market and enable us to optimally support our customers in the development of vehicles with electrification technologies.”
The R&D center will develop systems, software, electronics and mechatronics as well as support functions and attract talent.