German auto parts maker MAHLE has equipped its climatic wind tunnel in Stuttgart with a DC fast charging system, allowing engineers to charge EVs under all climatic conditions, including extreme heat, at up to 350 kilowatts of charging power.

Fast charging, especially under conditions of high temperature and intense solar exposure, places a large heat load on the battery, and a vehicle’s thermal management system must ensure that neither the battery nor the passenger compartment overheats.

The company says its new facility, by allowing precise and repeatable measurements and test conditions that replicate a wide range of climatic parameters, will provide information about the effects on Li-ion batteries and passenger comfort that will aid vehicle development.

Source: MAHLE