Porsche launches new drive testing centre

The Porsche Weissach Development Centre has put a new drive test centre into operation. The building combines 18 new test benches for conventional, hybrid and electric drives under one roof.

Michael Steiner, Porsche’s Chief Development Officer, sees the building as an “ideal complement” to the existing infrastructure. “We are continuously working on increasing the efficiency of our engines,” says Steiner. “With the 18 new test benches, we can test and document our progress even more precisely”. There are now a total of 70 test benches in Weissach.

A unique feature: to be able to test the purely electric vehicles in the best possible way, the carmaker has also set up a so-called high-voltage composite test stand. “Here we test the entire electric drive system, including the real battery, as installed in the vehicle,” says Gregor Haffke, Head of Drive Testing at Porsche.

What is particularly crucial with electric cars, according to Porsche, is charging strategies and technologies for different markets can also be tested on the test bench.

Sustainability aspects are also said to have played an essential role in the rest of the building. The waste heat from the engine test stands will be used to heat the office areas in winter. Besides, the rear of the building is buried 18 meters deep in the slope, two of the seven floors are entirely underground. Thus the construction should disturb the landscape as little as possible. Besides, the roof is full of plants.

porsche.com (In German)