- Five UK-based projects on sustainable transport have been granted funding through the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC)’s Academic Advisory Group and the UK’s Department for Business and Trade.
- These so-called ‘Feasibility Sprint’ projects are designed to accelerate research related to sustainable transport at record speeds.
- The five universities that have been granted funding must complete the project by March next year, with each being awarded between £30,000 and £70,000 for the project.
Advanced Propulsion Centre creates another push towards a zero-emission UK
The successful five include the WMG: University of Warwick, in partnership with Redoxion, a UK firm whose aim is to produce higher-quality and lower-cost Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathodes. This project will look at integrating this process into WMG’s existing battery assembly facility. WMG also received another award in partnership with Gencoa, creators of vaccum coating. This study will look at how lithium-ion batteries, with high reliability, capacity, and low cost, could be made with the use of vaccum coating techniques.
Another awardee includes the University of Cambridge, alongside Bluetek Energy Solutions. This will look at the economic feasibility of ‘pulse charging’ compared to conventional charging techniques, and what benefits this could bring to the real-world.
The University of Nottingham also received funding through this scheme, in partnership with AutoNeura. This will review the development of a new ‘self-tuning’ dynamometer, which has the potential to reduce the cost of developing new powertrains. A development such as this could reduce the development cost of future EVs, which could allow that saving to be passed on to the final customer.
Last but not least was Coventry University, in a study with partners Unipart Manufacturing Group, Gaussian, Taisan, Global Nano Network, and Nyobolt. This study will analyse the full length of the battery value-chain, helping to identify both opportunities and challenges, such as skill gaps, for the UK’s battery industry. Outside of this project, we’ve already seen how UK firms like Connected Energy are ensuring batteries can continue to be put to use, even at the end of their first life
Previous significant projects that have been partly enabled by APC funding as of recently include a feasibility study of Nyobolt’s ultra-fast charging battery, and electric trucks destined for public sector application, just to name a couple.
Philippa Oldham, APC’s Stakeholder Engagement Director, commented:
“AAG feasibility sprint studies aim to strengthen participation between academic institutions and commercial organisations encouraging new thinking that leads to growth and acceleration in the UK’s capability in sustainable technologies. I am delighted that this group is already working on exciting projects from batteries to powertrains and software systems. The UK is a fantastic place for research and our world-leading universities are at the cutting-edge of innovation for net-zero vehicles.”
