China's state-owned research center CATARC has begun construction of the world's largest facility for testing intelligent vehicles in extreme cold conditions. Located in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the complex is scheduled to be fully operational by 2028. Covering an area of 67 hectares, the ICNEV testing ground will focus on electric vehicles, autonomous driving systems, and advanced digital platforms. This is reported by Ixbt.com news.
The most significant aspect of the project is the artificial snow generation system within an enclosed area. This is the first center of its kind in the world, allowing engineers to control parameters such as snowfall, ice surface slipperiness, and temperature. This will facilitate precise testing of vehicle battery systems and electronic control units under various winter conditions.
CATARC Vice President Li Wei noted that the new base will address one of the main challenges in the electric vehicle industry: standardizing technical reliability in cold weather. Currently, testing is largely dependent on natural weather, which slows down the process. The new complex will take safety standards to a new level by creating a repeatable and precisely measurable testing environment.
The electric vehicle market in China is growing rapidly: in 2025, more than 16.6 million electric vehicles and hybrids were produced in the country. This technological base is of strategic importance for increasing the competitiveness of China's automotive industry in cold-climate regions such as Europe and North America.
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