AVL Puts Down Roots in the Basque Country

AVL, one of the world’s leading mobility technology companies, continues to strengthen its presence in the Basque Country through its affiliate AVL Ibérica Euskadi. The company is further consolidating its position as a key provider of solutions for electric and connected vehicles (ECV) and autonomous mobility for local and national automotive manufacturers.

The affiliate has joined MUBIL Center for smart and sustainable mobility, with the objective of supporting and driving the strong growth it is experiencing in the development of solutions for smart and sustainable mobility. Over the next three years, AVL expects to maintain sustained annual growth of around 20% in this business area.

Currently, the affiliate is involved in several national and international projects related to ECV and also plays a significant role in ensuring the cyber security of software for components in increasingly connected vehicles. “The development of vehicle control software is a natural evolution of the company’s business, which already includes dedicated areas for engine and battery development,” explains Alberto Zumeta, Managing Director of AVL Ibérica Euskadi.

Driven by its growing footprint in the local and national automotive industry—where 30% of its projects were located last year—AVL is working on the development of a specialized hub in San Sebastian focused on installation and application support. In this context, the company plans to expand its technical service capabilities through a growing local team dedicated to commissioning, technical support, and fast customer response. “Beyond improving interaction and service quality, the proximity of the office results in greater operational efficiency,” Zumeta adds.

AVL’s affiliate in the Basque Country was established in 2022 and, one year later, collaborated in the development of MUBIL’s facilities, a state-of-the-art center for electrification and hydrogen solutions. For MUBIL, AVL has designed test benches for electric motors and e-axles for both light- and heavy-duty vehicles, as well as test systems for hydrogen fuel cells, including stacks and complete systems. These solutions complement the test benches delivered in earlier phases for high-voltage battery packs and power electronics systems. “Our presence at MUBIL has been instrumental in strengthening our position among Basque and national manufacturers, both OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers,” he explains.

At the same time, and in line with AVL’s position as an international leader in autonomous mobility, its Basque affiliate is a member—together with Gertek and Vicomtech—of BasqueCCAM, an association aimed at positioning the Basque Country at the forefront of connected, cooperative, and automated mobility.

In addition to this involvement, the company has several proprietary projects in this field and plans to continue growing with its established local team, while further expanding its specialized engineering capabilities in autonomous and connected mobility.