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Formel D has been operating its own vehicle testing station in Perm since September 2019. Due to climatic, geological, and infrastructure conditions, the Russian metropolis offers ideal conditions for extensive cold weather testing.

About 30 highly qualified, experienced employees work at the Perm location, which is equipped with an expandable workshop area, currently 4,300 ft² (400 m²) in size, charging infrastructure of up to 175 kW for electric vehicles, workshop workstations with hydraulic lifts, and a high-speed internet connection. Currently, the 4,850 ft² (450 m²) separately fenced parking area offers space for approximately 30 vehicles, but it can be easily expanded. Visual protection for the grounds with metal cladding and barbed wire, 24/7 site security, numerous motion detectors, window and door contacts, and secured prototype areas highlight the enormous security standards at the location.

The employees receive regular training in order to be able to satisfy high customer demands at any time. The station in Perm also benefits from collaborating with the Formel D subsidiary in Moscow, where colleagues support the analyses of test drives, among other things.

Attractive overall package for customers

Formel D has been conducting cold weather testing in Perm since 2015 for a German premium manufacturer, and the Group has established a permanent location now. From this location, Formel D has been providing comprehensive, year-round testing operations for various customers since September 2019. Perm provides ideal conditions for cold weather testing. A harsh winter climate with temperatures as low as -52 °F (-47 °C) reigns here for six months of the year. Additionally, the city’s location on the Kama River constantly provides high humidity that leads to intensified ice formation at temperatures below zero. Only 2.5 miles (4 km) from the Formel D station, there is also a lake with an ice surface that permits numerous tests to be carried out in winter.

Another advantage is the nearby Ural Mountain range with numerous, long inclines and declines that allow motors and transmissions to be tested under varying loads. With the heavy traffic that occurs in Europe’s eastern most city with more than one million inhabitants, Formel D test drivers can also carry out tests in stop-and-go traffic.

Perm is conveniently accessible through the city’s international airport by airplane and has a good network of hotels. The metropolis offers a variety of leisure time activities with many opportunities involving winter sports, including ski and snowboard slopes, quad and snowmobile tours, saunas, and Russian steam baths. Especially with regard to locations in Scandinavia with a comparable range of products, Perm thus offers an attractive and inexpensive alternative for cold weather testing by OEMs as a comprehensive package.

An overview of the testing services in Perm:

  • Cold weather testing
  • Testing at increased humidity
  • Testing on roads with steep inclines and declines
  • Testing in congested city traffic
  • Lateral and longitudinal acceleration
  • Testing on black ice
  • Testing on poor road conditions
  • Fuel tests
  • Electric vehicle testing (quick-charge station available)

About Formel D

Formel D is a global service provider to the automotive and component supply industry. The company develops leading concepts and individual, scalable solutions for quality assurance and process optimization along the entire automotive value chain – from product development to production through to aftersales. Founded in 1993, Formel D today employs more than 12,000 people and has more than 90 locations in 22 countries worldwide.

Contact

Formel D GmbH
Schanzenstraße 6-20
Gebäude 2.08
DE-51063 Cologne
www.formeld.com

T (+49) 221 67006-0
F (+49) 221 67006-101
info@formeld.com