Sustainable. Climate neutral. Forward-looking.
The new Tech Center for powertrain and vehicle concepts for commercial vehicles from AVL
With more than 12,200 employees, AVL List GmbH (‘AVL’), headquartered in Graz, is one of the world's leading mobility technology companies for development, simulation and testing in the automotive industry and other sectors such as rail, shipping and energy.
In order to meet the increasing demands of the automotive industry and to drive forward the development of sustainable mobility solutions, AVL has opened a new Tech Center in Steyr. This state-of-the-art center covers almost 15,000 m² and was specially designed for the development, testing and optimisation of innovative drive and vehicle concepts.
It has six state-of-the-art test benches that enable tests to be carried out on drive systems and complete vehicles up to 14 metres in length. These test benches are capable of handling wheel torques of up to 125,000 Nm, wheel power of up to 800 kW and transmission input power of up to 1,600 kW. A multifunctional test bench enables high-voltage integration tests and fuel cell tests up to a power of 1 MW. In addition, the centre offers special testing facilities for brake wear emissions, particularly for trucks and buses, in order to meet future environmental requirements.
For research into hydrogen-powered systems, the Tech Center is equipped with facilities for hydrogen testing with flow rates of up to 70 kg/h. A 5,000 m² off-road test area with gradients of 8% and 12% enables realistic testing for commercial and heavy-duty vehicles. Protected areas for prototype development and assembly, as well as e-storage systems and fast-charging stations for electric vehicles, complement the Tech Center's extensive facilities.
Innovative technical facilities
The Tech Center Steyr is characterised by a range of innovative technical facilities designed for maximum efficiency and sustainability. Key elements include exhaust air, indoor air, energy and building management systems.
The exhaust air and room air technology was specially developed for heavy-duty applications and offers a capacity of 60,000 m³/h. The system solution ensures optimum air quality and temperature control during the various tests. All emissions and exhaust gases are removed from the test cabins. The air and energy technology automatically adjusts to demand. If a test bench is not in operation, the air output is reduced or made available for other areas as required.
Another focus is on efficient energy recovery. The waste heat emitted into the room is recovered via the exhaust air purification and air treatment center's and the waste heat emitted into the cooling circuit from the cooling system is also recovered. Highly efficient heat exchangers and heat pumps are used for heat recovery. The waste heat recovered in this way is used to heat the building with the test benches and the adjacent offices. This significantly reduces the need for external energy sources. Highly efficient heat pumps ensure a sustainable and constant supply of additional heat and cooling as required.
The Tech Center's energy supply is designed to function independently of fossil fuels such as oil and gas. As it was not possible to connect to the district heating network, a system based on renewable energies was developed. Photovoltaic systems provide clean energy, while the aforementioned heat recovery and efficient heat pumps further reduce the need for external energy.
The system is controlled via a networked system that integrates all components. This system optimises the hydraulics and control loops of the heat pumps and refrigeration systems based on current usage. This intelligent control maximises efficiency and reliability.
Digitalisation and monitoring are integral components of the Tech Centre. Using modern sensor technology and data analysis, all processes can be monitored and optimised in real time. This enables precise control of test procedures and contributes to quality assurance.
Facts and figures on sustainability
The Tech Center Steyr covers an area of almost 15,000 m². The use of waste heat and photovoltaic systems significantly reduces energy consumption, contributing to sustainable and environmentally friendly operations. The focus on CO₂-neutral solutions, including battery-powered and fuel cell-powered drives, underlines the commitment to sustainable mobility.
- innovative air and energy technology, state-of-the-art test benches for combustion, battery and hydrogen commercial vehicles
- Elimination of emissions, exhaust gases and waste heat from all test benches
- a mixture of highly efficient waste heat recovery and utilisation, highly efficient heat pump technology and intelligent control of the entire system achieves energy savings of > 2 GWh/a.
- Predicted energy monitoring exceeded
- Zero-emission building: heating and cooling energy supplied year-round without fossil fuels: savings of 228,000 m³ of gas per year
- 559 tonnes of CO2 savings per year. This corresponds to the CO2 absorption of 44,719 beech trees per year.
The project is a success story that was made possible by combining the expertise and intensive collaboration between AVL, Metaplan, Apess, Kappa and other partners. Thanks to this strong partnership, innovative solutions were developed and efficiently implemented, and ambitious sustainability goals were achieved.
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