At a time when many manufacturers are scaling back their investments, SERMA Technologies, a subsidiary of SERMA Group, is taking the op: continuing to invest heavily in electric mobility with the opening of a new 5,000 m² site dedicated to abuse testing and battery safety.
By conducting a wide range of abuse tests, this centre confirms SERMA’s position as a key player in the energy transition and in strengthening French sovereignty.
Located in Neuville-aux-Bois, near Orléans, (Central France), this new testing centre is part of a context of strict regulatory requirements and accelerating electrification, where managing battery-related risks is more strategic than ever.
A benchmark centre for battery safety
Designed to conduct a wide range of extreme malfunction tests, this centre is one of the few in Europe capable of covering such a diverse range of abuse tests. It can perform abuse tests on packs up to 150 kWh, as well as on entire vehicles. This centre complements SERMA’s existing offering for battery sub-assemblies (cells and modules). Its unique infrastructure allows these tests to be conducted indoors, eliminating the impact of bad weather and ensuring the safe and complete treatment of the gases and fumes emitted.
The new centre in Neuville-aux-Bois is equipped to carry out a wide range of extreme tests:
- Thermal runaway: heating pad, nail, overload, etc.
- Mechanical: crush, dropping, impact, etc.
- Electrical: short circuit, overload, overcurrent, etc.
- Thermal: thermal shock, overtemperature, thermal stability, etc.
- Environmental: immersion, vacuum.
- Compliance with international standards (UN38.3, ECE R100, KMVSS, GB, IEC, UL) and customer-specific protocols.
The development of this test centre is financially supported by the Green Fund – France Nation Verte and France 2030.
An ambitious and ongoing investment strategy
With this new site, SERMA is once again strengthening its position as the European leader in battery testing and confirming its commitment to providing long-term support to the French and European electric mobility industry. The Neuville-aux-Bois centre complements the 20,000 m² of infrastructure already deployed by the Group for testing green mobility technologies.
In 2025, two other test centres were also inaugurated by SERMA:
– In Martillac (near Bordeaux), a 6,500 m² centre built in partnership with ACC – Automotive Cells Company. This centre carries out electrical and environmental testing on the cells and modules supplied by ACC.
– In Lardy (near Paris), a 3,500 m² centre developed in collaboration with Renault Group. This centre carries out electrical and abuse tests on the manufacturer’s battery modules and packs.
