SEEL

As the momentum towards electrification in transport gains pace, a new centre for electromobility is being established to help the Swedish automotive industry maintain its position at the cutting edge of innovation as well as supporting the development of sustainable electric transport solutions.   

The Swedish Electric Transport Laboratory, or SEEL, is a test centre for research and development which enables researchers and companies to test everything from individual components to batteries and complete electric vehicles. Initiated by the Research Institute of Sweden (RISE) and Chalmers University of Technology, along with industry partners including Volvo and Scania, the laboratory will serve as a hub for universities, institutes and the industry to promote cooperation and innovation. It will also train students and researchers within the electromobility field to meet the staffing needs of the industry and the academic world. SEEL will have testing facilities in two locations, one in Gothenburg and the other on the east coast of Sweden.   

WSP’s multi-disciplinary strengths 

WSP’s selection as lead consultant was based on our long-standing relationships within the Swedish automotive industry and on our expertise in all the disciplines required to design and project manage such an extensive industrial project incorporating, for example, automation, mechanical and electric design, HVAC, fire & risk and environmental, in addition to our track-record in testing technologies. We incorporated these combined capabilities into the project planning and design of both the building and the very specific and high-tech operations it will house. Moreover, having everything under one roof facilitated the management processes for the project.  

 The three-part commission covered equipment, the building and project management. 

We were involved in the project from the very start, advising on the technical equipment and supporting functions. This stage involved identifying the laboratory users’ requirements; formulating the documentation for the procurement of test equipment and its support systems; establishing a procurement strategy and selecting suppliers; and managing the budget.  

The next part of our commission was to start feasibility studies for the building infrastructure. This included making provision for the requirements of the advanced technical equipment, as well building in the flexibility in anticipation of what testing and research needs laboratory users may have in the future.   

As project managers, we were responsible for preparing the project plan, financial follow-up, risk management, quality coordination and information management. We also engaged specialists to advise on the regulatory permits and requirements for environmental, fire and acoustics.   

Predicting future technological requirements 

One of the biggest challenges of this project is the speed of technological development. While the buildings must be designed first, the exact technical requirements of the R&D and testing equipment will not be known till later in the process. This is where WSP’s extensive experience within testing technologies comes in; it enables us to anticipate how the testing technologies will evolve in order to  inform the design of adaptable, future-ready buildings fully equipped for electromobility testing when SEEL opens in 2023, and capable of accommodating future testing regimes.