Posted:
2023-10-24
THE INITIAL AGREEMENT COVERS A PERIOD OF 5 YEARS (2023-2028)
COLMIS PROVIDES ITS PROVING GROUND TO HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY FOR VEHICLE’S COLD TEST
EVERY WINTER SEASON OVER A HUNDRED ENGINEERS OF THE SOUTH KOREAN AUTOMOTIVE GIANT WILL WORK IN THE NEW FACILITY, TESTING THE MANUFACTURER’S WIDE RANGE OF MODELS IN AN EXTREME COLD CLIMATE ENVIRONMENT
Arjeplog (Sweden), October 24th, 2023.– Colmis has reached an agreement with Hyundai Motor Company, the South Korean automotive manufacturer, to establish its winter testing centre in the Swedish proving ground, located in Arjeplog, next to the arctic circle. After several years of short-term collaborations, Hyundai and Colmis have now reached a long-term cooperation deal with an initial duration of 5 years – with the option of further extensions, that will see the multinational not only become a key customer to the Swedish proving ground but one of the major actors in the whole Scandinavian winter testing region. In terms of facilities, the bespoke Hyundai winter testing centre at Colmis, which will be active every year from December 1st to March 31st, will feature a workshop and office space for up to 110 people (with a size of over 2,300 sqm), exclusive last-generation fast chargers, and an adjacent private restaurant with a capacity for 100 diners.
Mikael Hallin, CEO of Colmis, says that “we are extremely excited about this long-term cooperation agreement with Hyundai Motor Company. It shows we are doing things right. Furthermore, by working alongside Hyundai, which is currently expanding the automobile market with the EV transition as well as leading the hydrogen-powered vehicle segment and setting the grounds of the future mobility industry in autonomous driving and connectivity technologies, it also motivates us to continue pursuing our vision of delivering the most advanced and customised winter test solution on the market”.
Hallin underlines the benefits the cooperation will have for the Swedish automotive testing region: “The fact that Hyundai has chosen Colmis to host its winter test centre will have a positive impact not only for our company but for the Arjeplog area in general, which hereby sees its position further reinforced as a global leading winter testing hub for the automotive industry”.
Finally, the CEO of the Swedish company also outlines how the innovative spirit of the South Korean automaker will be embraced: “Hyundai, which is well known for the quality and reliability of its vehicles, is an icon of innovation and future, and we feel that the Hyundai vision of achieving technological innovation under the aspiration of ‘Progress for Humanity’ resonates exactly with what this new facility will offer. When hosting their testing at our proving ground, we see a lot more than a customer, we see a partner: a successful winter testing season for Hyundai is what will determine a successful winter testing season for Colmis.”
Meanwhile, Yonghwa Kim, CTO of Hyundai Motor Company says that “we have worked for many years with Colmis and are very glad to now strengthen our cooperation with this new long-term agreement, which will support us in significantly upscaling our winter testing operations. For Hyundai it was crucial to set up its cold test centre together with a reliable partner and Colmis ticked all the boxes: the proving ground’s testing infrastructure is impressive, and, among other things, we value in particular their focus on safety, being one of the few winter tests sites that has a mandatory driver training”.
Kim also explains the strategic importance of this move for the South Korean company: “Hyundai has consolidated itself as one of the major automotive companies worldwide and is currently seeing a great response to our innovative approach. The new winter test centre will make it possible to complete the increasing testing needs we have for our growing number of new vehicles on the market”.
Hyundai Motor Company will benefit from unlimited access to the proving ground’s immense testing infrastructure, which includes over 50 multipurpose tracks on land and on the frozen lakes, among many other offerings, such as the 35 cold chambers or the onsite support of mechanics, durability drivers, engineers and coordinators.
In addition to the winter test facilities, Colmis’ hospitality sister company, Simloc, which manages hotels, flats and private house rentals within a few kilometres of the proving ground, also arranges housing for the automotive industry in Arjeplog and will support Hyundai with its accommodation needs in the area.