UK-based Autocraft EV Solutions, part of Autocraft Solutions Group, is setting up shop in Arnhem. The company is a leading player when it comes to electric vehicle (EV) testing and repairs, while the wider group is focused on manufacturing and remanufacturing engines and other sustainable propulsion solutions for the global automotive market.
In Arnhem, the company will focus on restoring EV battery packs to optimal health through its world-class capability in testing and repair. Oost NL supported the company in its establishment, in cooperation with the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA), Industriepark Kleefse Waard (IPKW), Connectr and the municipality of Arnhem.
The electric vehicle market is growing and will grow much more in the future; 30% of every new car sold in Europe currently has a battery pack onboard. Autocraft has developed a patented testing methodology that allows it to detect EV battery faults at a cellular level, enabling a targeted approach to EV repair, whereby underperforming cells are replaced with healthy ones to restore optimal performance and prevent premature decline. This unique process helps to maximise battery longevity and the associated environmental benefits of EVs, with only a fraction of the ecological footprint of producing new components or recycling ones that have prematurely failed.
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As part of its EV service offer, Autocraft has also developed the REVIVE™ MOBILE Repair Centre, a mobile electric vehicle (EV) battery service facility that is fully equipped to test and remanufacture up to 2,000 battery packs per year. The facility can be deployed directly to customer manufacturing sites, which helps to overcome the environmental impact and logistical hurdles with long distance transportation of large volumes of EV batteries. The company works with many established automotive brands, including Volvo, Jaguar Land Rover, Ford, and Peugeot.
Mike Hague-Morgan, Executive Director at Autocraft, said: "EVs account for a growing portion of the cars on our roads. For us to truly unlock the value of EV, it is important for us on an industry-level to have an accurate picture of EV battery health. Our testing allows us to identify battery faults before they’ve even occurred, so that we can make targeted interventions to restore optimal EV battery health. This approach is crucial to maximising the lifespan of EVs so that environmental benefits can accrue over time. We offer a range of EV testing and repair solutions to help support vehicle manufacturers on the road to net-zero.”
Autocraft is actively expanding its presence across Europe and saw the eastern Netherlands as the ideal location for its first location on the continent. Hague-Morgan explains: "We chose the eastern Netherlands, and more specifically Arnhem, because of the knowledge here in the field of electrification, battery and charging technology, and renewable energy. This certainly applies to the companies that have established themselves here at IPKW. Arnhem's location positions us closely to where there is high demand for our services, allowing us to provide an efficient EV testing and repair solution for our customers in Europe."
Bernold Kemperink, Team Manager Tech at Oost NL: "The impact of Autocraft’s choice to set up shop in Arnhem is great because it is a missing link in the (East) Dutch value chain in the field of electric transport. Replacing battery cells is a smart solution to extend the life of the battery pack in EV cars , this makes more economical use of resources and instills confidence in EV as a mode of transport. Restoring optimal battery health is crucial to overcoming range anxiety and thanks to advancements in this area, a million kilometers with an EV car is now no longer a pipe dream."
