When the Volkswagen Group of America made plans for expansion, California came out on top as one of the most desirable areas to develop new technology.
With the state having some of the toughest emissions laws in the world, Volkswagen officials said they not only wanted to bring their new testing facility to Southern California, but also to Oxnard for a very specific reason: location.
"We made an evaluation based on the criteria we had to fulfill, and Oxnard came out on top," said Matthias Barke, general manager for the Volkswagen Group Test Center California. "The clean air and the sea level is very important, but also the community.
"We will have so many visitors who will be coming out here, so it all had to come together. Being able to design a facility here in Oxnard so we can work efficiently ... is fantastic."
After two years of planning and construction, Oxnard is now the hub of Volkswagen America's emissions and development test laboratory, with its new $27 million facility. About 125 people joined top officials from Volkswagen, the German consulate and Oxnard city officials on Monday at the official debut of the test facility at 201 Del Norte Blvd.
Members of the media toured the 64,000-square-foot facility, which houses the only North American research and development center for Volkswagen, Audi, Bentley, Bugatti and Lamborghini. Testing for Porsche, which recently was bought by the Volkswagen Group, also will be conducted in the facility.
By October, about 50 jobs will be transferred from Test Center Westlake to the new site, which is larger by about 25,000 square feet, said Darryll Harrison, West Coast communications manager.
Engineers at the Oxnard facility will serve as the final stop for many Volkswagen products before they are approved for production. The multimillion-dollar facility has a climactic chamber where automobiles will be put through varying weather conditions that range from minus 30 degrees Celsius to 40 degrees.
The climate-controlled emissions lab also has a wind speed blower with a top speed of 100 mph and humidity controls from 0 percent to 100 percent. The capability to mimic climate situations also allows testing for vehicles that would be sold in Europe and Japan, said Rick Vasquez, lab operations team leader.
"We can go from hot to cold in a short amount of time, when before they would actually have to go to Alaska or Germany to test vehicles," Vasquez said. "Being in Oxnard affords us to not use air conditioning because the weather usually is in the 70s here, and that saves us a lot of money and energy," Vasquez said. "We will be able to assist the development teams that will come from Germany as well as field teams ... and test in any inclement weather."
During the tour Monday, engineers demonstrated some of the testing they would conduct on more than 25 benches, analyzing components such as oxygen sensors, fuel pumps, secondary air pumps and solenoid values.
With only 85 Bugattis in the United States and 320 in the world, the Oxnard facility also will be the customer headquarters for North America and South America, said Bugatti representative David Jenkins.
Developing a "green" facility was a primary goal when Volkswagen was planning the new facility, Barke said.
Property developer Quattro Development, an affiliate of BLT Enterprises Inc., both of Oxnard, hired Roseville-based SPI Solar to install a solar power system in the building. The facility includes a 430-kilowatt system and more than 2,500 panels on the roof and on carport shade structures.
Oxnard Mayor Tom Holden applauded the green technology at the new facility and Volkswagen's decision to invest in the community.
"We realized that if our families are going to be able to take care of themselves and be able to put food on the table, it would be the manufacturing and high-tech component of businesses that are important," Holden said Monday.
Courtesy of Ventura County Star
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