Hybrid vehicles are gaining ground in Brazil, and Umicore’s Vehicle Emissions Technology Center (CTEV) plays a strategic role in supporting the introduction of these models to the market. As one of the world’s leading suppliers of automotive catalysts, the company supports vehicle homologation in the country by conducting emissions and durability tests required by PROCONVE (the Brazilian Program for the Control of Air Pollution from Motor Vehicles) for both light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles, with the aim of verifying the compliance of vehicle and engine aftertreatment systems.
Since 2024, Umicore’s Vehicle Emissions Technology Center (CTEV) has had full capability to test hybrid vehicles, performing aging and emissions measurements under controlled conditions. This capability became even more strategic in 2025, when Umicore obtained the new ISO guide required for hybrid vehicle certification, now mandatory for homologation. With this achievement, CTEV stands out as one of the few laboratories in Brazil qualified to support this new regulatory requirement, reinforcing its position with a strong market differentiator.
According to Edson Paixão, Manager of Umicore’s Tech Center in Brazil, a central part of the certification process is demonstrating the durability of the aftertreatment system, which must meet a minimum useful life of 160,000 kilometers.
“To achieve this, vehicles are first instrumented and driven under real-world conditions to map their thermal behavior. These conditions are then reproduced on dynamometers under strict temperature and time control, with emissions measured using advanced gas analyzers. The results are consolidated into technical reports that support the vehicle homologation process in compliance with Brazilian legislation.”
Edson Paixão, Manager of Umicore’s Tech Center in Brazil
Paixão also highlights that hybrid vehicles bring additional complexity to this process. “The interaction between the combustion engine and the electrical system changes the operating profile of the engine and exhaust, requiring longer and more detailed test cycles, as well as careful battery stabilization before testing,” he says.
For OEMs, especially those that do not have local infrastructure to carry out this type of testing, the Technology Center offers a combination of strong technical capability and deep local expertise. “Our understanding of Brazilian conditions, particularly fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel, gives customers confidence when bringing hybrid vehicles to market,” Paixão adds, reinforcing Umicore’s role as a preferred OEM partner in Brazil.
With advanced infrastructure, regulatory readiness and strong local expertise, Umicore’s Tech Center continues to position itself as a key services supplier to the Brazilian automotive market, supporting OEMs in the transition toward cleaner and more efficient mobility.
