Electrifying potential

Electrifying potential

In collaboration with the Budapest University of Technology, Rolls-Royce Hungary has opened a new hybrid electric propulsion system laboratory. The test lab adds to Rolls-Royce Electrical’s global test capability while supporting other Hungarian industry members and higher education in building the foundation for sustainable, electrical solutions of the future.

Electrical technology has the potential to transform the way we travel, the way we transport goods, the way we extract and distribute energy and manage power flows in the future. And electrification will have a significant role to play in the global fight against climate change. With electrical solutions on the rise, there is an increasing need for high-tech electrical machines, energy storage and special power electronics equipment - and for the possibility to test them in an advanced environment.

In Budapest, Rolls-Royce Hungary has around 100 experts working on the development of Electrical solutions.

With around 100 engineers specialised in electric technology in Budapest, our Rolls-Royce Hungary team develop these solutions and together with the Budapest University of Technology have just launched a new test facility: the FIEK Modular Hybrid-Electric Drive Train Laboratory.

While the new lab complements already existing test capabilities, it also welcomes other industry players on board on the journey into a future with reduced carbon emissions: it is available for other innovators in the region who want to develop their own electrical technologies further.

And, of course, to university students, who want to expand their practical experience working on electrical machine design.

Gergely György Balázs, Managing Director of Rolls-Royce Hungary and Mr. Hassan Charaf, dean of the Budapest University of Technology (BME), at the opening event of the laboratory.

“Investing in talent is crucial for us, in particular as we see our industry transition from Research and Development to actual product development. We need to work closely with academia to ensure we can locally source world-class electrical specialists, as we approach industrialization of our Electrical portfolio”, says Gergely György Balázs, Managing Director of Rolls-Royce Hungary, who is also an associate professor at the university.

On two specifically equipped test benches, complete, electric drive trains in the sub-MW range, consisting of electric motors, inverters, batteries, and chargers can be tested – across a large variety of rotational speeds. In the picture, the 30 kW electric motor and generator for the H3PS hybrid electric system is getting ready for testing.

The collaboration between our team and the university dates back almost a decade and includes several R&D projects that helped to contribute to the growth of the engineering presence of Rolls-Royce in the region. The Budapest University of Technology (BME) – Rolls-Royce laboratory, located at the university campus, provides access to test up to a power level of 300 kW, a voltage of 1200 V, and a maximum speed of 20 000 rpm, which allows for component or system-level testing of electric drives.

The lab was designed particularly to meet the requirements of electrical technology developments and is a unique opportunity in the region. The project was funded by the National Research, Development and Innovation Office.

Register for news and stories

Our Alert service delivers the latest press releases, stories and regulatory news directly to your mailbox.