ABB is constructing its new global R&D hub at Delft University of Technology campus in the Netherlands to accelerate innovation in the field of e-mobility.

The E-mobility Innovation Lab will be used for electric vehicle (EV) research and development activities, as well as for ABB’s future portfolio development.

ABB Global E-mobility Infrastructure Solutions head Frank Muehlon said: “Innovation is in our blood. ABB has led the way in EV charging and is proud to have played a key role in driving adoption rates of electric vehicles across the world.

“That is why we wanted to locate our E-mobility Innovation Lab in Delft, in the heart of the university campus, where we are surrounded by the brightest tech talents and start-ups in the Netherlands.”

Being built with a $10m investment, the 3,600m² facility will be home for 120 specialists, who will be working on next-generation solutions.

ABB said that the E-mobility Innovation Lab will be equipped with advanced technologies to ensure that its chargers are compatible with all vehicle types.

The facility will also feature special environmental testing rooms to test how vehicles perform in various weather conditions.

As part of the company’s commitment to support a low carbon society, the new complex will be connected to the Delft University of Technology’s geothermal heating / cooling plant.

The roof of the new facility will feature solar panels that will be connected to solar inverters for converting direct current (DC) harvested from the sun into alternating current (AC).

The whole setup will be integrated with ABB’s advanced building management system for climate and light control and its battery storage system to enable testing energy to be fed back into the grid.

In addition, the company announced that its global Center of Excellence, which is being built in Italy with an investment of $30m, will be opened next year.