Ricardo Establishes Center for Development of Battery Systems for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles

Battery Systems Development Center will feature large HEV/EV-capable battery cyclers, will specialize in turnkey vehicle battery systems development

VAN BUREN TWP., Mich, March 18 -- Ricardo, Inc., a leading independent engineering firm specializing in total vehicle fuel economy and efficiency, has announced the establishment of the Battery Systems Development Center at its Van Buren Twp., Michigan, headquarters to offer turnkey engineering and development of complete high-voltage battery-pack systems for hybrid (HEV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and electric vehicles (EV). The center will feature three lithium-ion (Li-Ion)-capable development chambers, large HEV/EV-capable battery cyclers and equipment to facilitate the development of battery systems in simulated vehicle environments. The Battery Systems Development Center will be used to validate Ricardo's design, analysis and simulation of advanced high-power battery packs. This, combined with the company's pack/vehicle integration, hybrid transmission development and vehicle development capabilities, puts Ricardo in a unique position of being able to provide turnkey vehicle battery systems development.

"Electrification of the vehicle is a critical element of automakers' strategies for reaching 35-mile-per-gallon CAFE regulations," said Ricardo President Dean Harlow. "Up to half the development cost of a battery system can be the robust integration of battery cells into packs. As a leader in advanced vehicle technology, Ricardo is applying its Total Vehicle Fuel Economy(TM) (TVFE) capabilities to this important new technology to help our customers accelerate the volume production of electric vehicle technologies into the market. Hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric vehicles are fast becoming a crucial part of the technology mix, and we have the experience of more than 30 hybrid-vehicle and battery-systems projects to draw upon to bring even more value to our customers."

The Battery Systems Development Center, projected to grow to a staff of 32, will focus on engineering complete Li-Ion and nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) battery-pack systems (as opposed to the development of battery cells, which is the domain of cell manufacturers).

"There are critical items to address, such as control algorithm robustness, accurate state-of-charge estimation, fault-tolerance design, thermal management optimization, shock and vibration robustness and cost management," said Wayne Thelen, Ricardo's Chief Engineer for Advanced Technology. "Ricardo has the engineering expertise to meet these challenges. Our TVFE simulation, control, and optimization capabilities are extremely accurate in setting the parameters for battery-pack design. The development chambers will validate these designs in real-world tests, assuring maximum performance and efficiency in this important new technology."

Prototype pack systems will undergo exhaustive development in three specially built development chambers equipped with robust safety and filtration systems. Each will feature high-capacity EV/HEV-capable battery cyclers, high-voltage instrumentation, hardware-in-the-loop systems and other equipment to enable the development of battery systems in simulated vehicle environments. Once a battery pack design is verified in a safe, simulated environment, the battery system can be integrated into and further developed on a vehicle in Ricardo's adjoining garage facility. The first chamber is scheduled to be commissioned by mid-summer 2008.

About Ricardo

Ricardo, the Eco-Innovation Technology Company, is a leading independent provider of technology, product innovation, engineering solutions and strategic consulting to the world's automotive, military, transport and new energy industries. The company's skill base represents the state-of-the-art in low emissions and fuel-efficient powertrain technology, and can be best summarized: "Ricardo is Fuel Economy."

With technical centers and offices throughout Europe, the U.S. and Asia, Ricardo provides engineering expertise ranging from vehicle systems integration, controls & electronics, hardware and software development, to the latest driveline and transmission systems and gasoline, diesel, hybrid and fuel cell powertrain technologies. Its customers include the world's major automakers and suppliers as well as manufacturers in the military, commercial, off-highway and clean energy sectors. The company also serves in advisory roles to governmental and independent agencies. Ricardo's U.S. operation, Ricardo, Inc., is headquartered in Van Buren Township, Michigan. Ricardo plc posted sales of $344 million in financial year 2007 and is a constituent of the FTSE TechMark 100 index - a group of innovative technology companies listed on the London Stock Exchange. For more information, visit www.ricardo.com.

Ricardo offers TVFE(TM), its Total Vehicle Fuel Economy engineering service, to transportation manufacturers worldwide to provide objective evaluation of all available technologies to identify the most cost-effective strategies to optimize fuel economy and CO2 goals. For more information on TVFE, please visit www.totalvehiclefueleconomy.com.