Windsor-Essex is the automotive capital of Canada and home to Canada’s largest auto cluster, with ~100 manufacturers, two automaker OEM R&D facilities: the Ford Powertrain (PERDC) Lab, ARDC (FCA), and a world class transformative research facility in electric vehicle technologies: the Centre for Hybrid Automotive Research and Green Energy (CHARGE) Lab, at the University of Windsor (UWindsor). The CHARGE Lab, under the leadership of its founder Professor Narayan C. Kar, who is a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Electrified Vehicles, is an internationally recognized R&D, component and system design and test centre that fosters cross-disciplinary research collaboration among materials, mechanical, electrical and software engineers. It is competitive with other leading North American automotive labs in design, development and testing of electric powertrain components. This world class industry-scale research and test facility, funded by multiple CFI and industry grants, consists of three custom designed flexible EV motor and drive test systems capable of producing fast, accurate and comprehensive test results fundamental to the iterative design optimization process of next-generation electric vehicle motors and drives. These systems are continually utilized by OEMs and Tier-1 auto parts suppliers to benchmark their prototype electric traction motors and drives accurately and comprehensively in a realistic EV environment. Dr. Kar’s research excellence in electric vehicle field has led to a wide range of substantial industrial collaborations. In the last five years, the CHARGE Lab has hosted NSERC Alliance, multiple CRD, OCE and ORF projects with a combined cash and in-kind value of nearly $10M.

The research carried out in the Kar lab in collaboration with the industry partners is supported by UWindsor’s strategic research goal to bolster local industry. Through collaboration with industry and academia, and the institutional supports available to CHARGE Lab, the research program is a hub for the development of innovative new, next generation technologies that will lead the further development of electric vehicles.