The testing organisation Dekra is entering into a strategic partnership with Sphere Energy, a pioneer in the use of artificial intelligence for battery development. As part of this, Dekra will also become a shareholder in Sphere. Sphere’s AI-based simulations will be used for Dekra’s battery testing and validation.
The two companies intend to jointly offer a seamless end-to-end validation ecosystem for batteries to support customers in the battery and automotive industries throughout the entire battery development cycle. Both companies can draw on expertise in early cell development at Sphere’s Battery Technology Centre in Grossaitingen near Augsburg, Germany, as well as in the testing, validation and certification of fully integrated battery systems for cars and energy storage systems at Dekra’s battery testing laboratories in Arnhem (Netherlands), Guangzhou (China), Plymouth (USA), and at the newly opened flagship location, the Large Battery Test Centre at the Lausitzring in Klettwitz (Brandenburg).
“With this partnership, Sphere Energy and DEKRA are setting new standards in battery validation and in use-monitoring, making both, development and application safer,” explained Christoph Nolte, Executive Vice President of Dekra Service Division Vehicles. Building on Dekra’s State of Health (SoH) services, the two companies intend to jointly develop advanced AI solutions for real-time SoH monitoring in commercial vehicles to track battery performance, optimise life cycle costs and ensure safer, more sustainable operation.
The partners want to jointly develop a hybrid approach in which AI-based simulations, data management and physical testing go hand in hand to provide faster, cost-efficient and predictive validation services. This approach is intended to bridge the gap between conventional validation and the requirements of modern, data-driven development.
“In DEKRA, we have a partner that enables us to scale our expertise in artificial intelligence within the development process. Our mission is to simulate products from the earliest stages, gaining insights into their final performance before they are physically built. This accelerates the path to market for battery-powered products and establishes a new pillar of innovation for Europe’s industries,” said Lukas Lutz, co-founder of Sphere Energy.
Sphere Energy was founded in 2017 and has since built up expertise in AI and data science to create a simulation platform that understands the performance and lifespan of batteries in an application. The Bavarian company’s software platforms are designed to shorten validation cycles, increase reliability and enable smarter design decisions early in the development process.
As part of the partnership, Dekra is also acquiring shares in Sphere Energy. However, it is not yet known how large the stake will be or how much Dekra is investing in Sphere Energy.
dekra.com
