inside toyota s high security torture chamber for battery developmentSALINE, Mich. - Toyota just announced the opening of a new battery testing and development facility in Michigan.Located at the automaker's sprawling North American research and development center in Saline, roughly 45 miles west of downtown Detroit, this facility covers 30,000 square feet and provides important engineering capabilities in the region.According to a media release shared by the automaker, the aptly named Toyota Battery Center of North America (TBC for short) allows engineering teams to "evaluate and develop technology across the full battery-development cycle, from sourcing raw materials to customer applications to recycling."inside toyota s high security torture chamber for battery developmentEach of those steps is critical to developing electrified vehicles, and this soup-to-nuts capability is sure to help the automaker move the needle with its upcoming hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and pure-electric offerings."Toyota is an American success story," said Keita Moritsu, senior vice president and chief technology officer for Toyota Motor North America R&D during a brief presentation. And the company is a Michigan success story as well. The Japanese automaker has had a presence in the state for more than 50 years. "The new battery center is a place for ideas and progress," Moritsu added, supporting the automaker's future mobility ambitions.Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer also spoke during the event. "In Michigan we're proud. We know how to make things," she said, adding that the state has an unmatched constellation of supplier companies, the best engineers on the planet and generations of people with manufacturing know-how in their blood. "Toyota believes in Michigan, and Michigan believes in Toyota," said Whitmer.inside toyota s high security torture chamber for battery developmentTBC will serve as a hub for developing new battery technologies and thoroughly testing them, so they meet stringent Toyota standards for quality, efficiency, and, of course, long-term dependability. This facility will also work closely with the automaker's manufacturing plants across the continent, facilities that either build batteries – like the company's new factory in North Carolina – or assemble vehicles.A wide range of testing chambers and laboratory equipment allows engineers to evaluate and, as necessary, torture test battery cells and even whole battery assemblies. For instance, TBC has six sealed testing chambers with a total of 12 chambers. Resembling huge cabinets, these allow team members to charge and discharge battery cells to prove their performance and safety under varying conditions.This new facility also has several large, climate-controlled chambers that are larger than a garden shed. These allow engineers to thermally shock entire battery packs and subject them to wildly varying levels of humidity. Testing is typically run between -40 degrees F (-40 C) and 162 F (72 C), but the chambers can go from -130 F (-90 C) all the way up to 248 F (120 C) for true torture testing.inside toyota s high security torture chamber for battery developmentBeyond freezing and baking, batteries can also be subjected to thermal runaway events, a technical term for fire. The abuse test center helps ensure Toyota's designs meet regulatory requirements, and if a pack does go up in flames, this chamber has 16-inch-thick concrete walls on three sides and blow-out panels on the fourth to safely manage any explosions that may occur. A salt-water dunk tank is also included to help discharge any damaged batteries, and there's even an advanced air purification system to address fumes before they're discharged from the room.Finally, TBC also has a so-called emerging technology space that will be used to see how Toyota and Lexus vehicles interact with home and public chargers, and learn how they cope with other issues like brownouts. There's even a separate vibration chamber. With four heavy plates that each move in three directions, this twists and rattles battery packs and even vehicle body structures to find weak spots."You don't just hear it," said Jordan Choby, group vice president of powertrain at Toyota, "you can feel it when batteries are being tested in that room." Every decision they make at this facility aims to maximize vehicle quality, he added, and with all the hardware on display, that's not hard to believe.Before TBC opened, Toyota outsourced much of its battery testing to other laboratories or did this work in Japan. Now, the automaker can keep this closer to where it builds and sells certain vehicles. That new-facility smell hasn't even worn off yet, but big work is already underway. Battery testing at TBC is scheduled to begin this week.Become an AutoGuide insider. Get the latest from the automotive world first by subscribing to our newsletter.