UK Government-backed Technology Strategy Board is investing over £12m to develop new technology that will speed up the reduction of CO2 emissions from road vehicles.
The investment, which is the result of a funding competition managed by the Technology Strategy Board’s Low Carbon Vehicles Innovation Platform (LCVIP), will be made in sixteen proof-of-concept studies (lasting up to one year), and six longer-running full research and development projects*. The total value of the research will be approximately £25m, with the remaining funding provided by the UK organisations taking part in the work.
As stated by John Laughlin, the Technology Strategy Board’s Low Carbon Vehicles programme manager, this investment is part of the ongoing strategy to put the UK at the forefront of low carbon vehicle technology. “We are funding innovative projects in a number of key areas which include internal combustion engine technologies, energy storage and management, lightweight structures and new propulsion technologies”, Laughlin said.
“The work will help to accelerate the reduction of carbon emissions and deliver mass-market low carbon road vehicles within 5 to 15 years. In addition to helping to meet UK and EU climate change targets, we anticipate this research and development work will create significant market opportunities for UK-based companies”, he added.
*The projects to be funded, among the others, include the following:
Title: Ultra Lightweight Range Extender for Electric Vehicles
Partners: Bladon Jets (lead), SR Drives, Jaguar Land Rover
Title: Development of high energy Li-S prototype battery cells
Partners: Oxis Energy Ltd (lead), ABSL Power Solutions
Title: 2nd Generation Zero Emissions 12t Battery Electric Truck.
Partners: Leyland Trucks (lead), MAGTEC, Valence Technology.
Title: LOPEPS – Low Power Electric Power Steering to provide steering assist during parking for small, ultra-efficient vehicles
Partners: TRW Conekt (lead), Tata Motors European Technical Centre, Brook Crompton
Title: High Efficiency Transmission (HET) for Electric Vehicles
Partners: Antonov Automotive Technologies Ltd (lead), MIRA, JLR
Title: High energy sodium-nickel battery cell for EV application (Acronym: NINACELL)
Partners: Ionotec Ltd (lead), Dynamic-Ceramic Ltd, Birmingham University, University College London, Aloxsys Inc.
Title: High energy density TMO/Si-alloy battery for PHEVs
Partners: Axeon Technologies Ltd (lead), University of St Andrews, Nexeon Ltd, Ricardo UK Ltd
Title: GKN Eco-Trailer
Partners: GKN AutoStructures Ltd (lead), Magnetic Systems Technology Ltd
Title: BladeBoost – A Novel Rotary Supercharger for Ultra-Efficient Downsized Gasoline Engines
Partners: Ricardo UK Ltd (lead), Lontra, Ford Motor Company
Title: MU2IC
Partners: Ptech Engines Ltd (lead), Tickford Powertrain Test Ltd, MUSI Engines Ltd, Concept Group International
Title: FLYBUS – Flywheel Based Mechanical Hybrid System for Bus & Commercial Vehicle Applications including Retrofit Programme
Partners: Torotrak (Development) Ltd (lead), Ricardo UK Ltd, Optare Group Ltd, Allison Transmission Europe (UK)
Title: Low CO2 High Efficiency Diesel Fuel Injector Nozzle (LOCOFIN)
Partners: Delphi Diesel Systems UK Ltd (lead), University College London
Title: Flexible Multiport Converter Technology
Partners: Prodrive (lead), Scisys, Raytheon Systems Ltd, Tata Motors European Technical Centre, International Transformers, University of Manchester
Title: EDS TurboClaw
Partners: AVL Powertrain UK Ltd (lead), Dynamic Boosting Systems Ltd, TURBOCAM Europe Ltd
Title: Demonstration of Aggressive Downsizing a Truck Engine with Epicam Supercharger – ESTED (Epicam Supercharger Truck Engine Downsizing)
Partners: Epicam Ltd (lead), J C Bamford Excavators Ltd, The Hardstaff Group, Birmingham City University
Title: eDCT – Low Cost High Efficiency Transmission Actuation: Electric Moving Magnet Linear Actuator Partners: Ricardo UK Ltd (lead), TRW Ltd, Raicam Clutch Ltd
Title: Syner-D – Integration of Synergistic Cost Effective CO2 Technologies for Diesel
Partners: Ricardo UK Ltd (lead), Jaguar Cars Ltd, Shell Global Solutions (UK), Lontra, SKF (UK) Ltd, Valeo Engine Cooling UK Ltd
FinSMEs
08/01/2010