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Ministers announce £4.25 Million funding for battery and autonomous vehicle research at WMG
Today, Tuesday 11 April 2017, Business Secretary Greg Clark and Transport Minister John Hayes have announced a range of research funding which included a total of £4.25 million split between a battery research project and an autonomous vehicle research project, both with input from WMG at the University of Warwick.
The first project covered by this announcement is led by BMW Group to design and develop power dense batteries in the UK, one of the key steps needed for the widespread adoption of electric vehicles. WMG has received a grant of £3.8m for its part in the project, which will bring together BMW, WMG at the University of Warwick and Delta Motorsport.
Professor Dave Greenwood from WMG said:
“This research collaboration will utilise WMG’s electrochemical materials and engineering expertise, and use WMG’s world class battery testing and validation facilities, for understanding optimal power density in application of Li-ion battery cells, modules and packs. It will push forward the boundaries of existing knowledge of Li-ion cells and battery systems to support higher power capabilities than is currently normal within commercial systems, and to apply this to the developed system. While most mass market car battery applications are more focused on high energy density, higher power will be more important for other vehicle and transport sectors such as; high performance cars, rail, marine, buses, trucks, and off-road vehicles.
Ian Constance, Chief Executive of the APC, said:
“The sixth round of APC funding demonstrates the depth of low carbon development that is in the UK. From powertrain, to lightweighting, to energy storage, these new projects will not only lower emissions but secure thousands of jobs, address supply chain gaps, and help the UK become a true global leader in advanced vehicle technology.”
The second project covered by the two Ministers’ announcement, is CAPRI which an AECOM-led consortium has secured funding from Innovate UK and the Centre for Connected & Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) to deliver an on-road mobility service pilot using connected and autonomous vehicles. The pilot project includes the design, development and testing of new autonomous and connected PODs, culminating in on-road trials at London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. WMG will receive £450,000 for its work in the project.
Professor Carsen Maple from WMG said:
“We will be addressing the Cyber-physical security of the PODs. We will undertake threat modelling, considering all of the possible attackers and methods for remote and local, physical and cyber-attacks. Using this modelling we will undertake risk analysis and management to secure the vehicles.”
Through the launch of the Industrial Strategy green paper and the Plan for Britain, the Government has significantly increased investment in research and development and reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the UK remains a world-leader in science and innovation ahead of the UK leaving the EU.
Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark said:
“Low carbon and driverless cars are the future and as a Government we are determined through the Industrial Strategy to build on our strengths and put the UK at the forefront of this revolution. Investment in this technology is an integral part of this Government’s efforts, to ensure the UK auto sector remains competitive and world-leading.
“The projects being awarded funding today will help extend our excellence in these cutting edge research fields, helping to safeguard jobs while ensuring the UK remains the go-to destination for automotive excellence.”
Transport Minister John Hayes said:
“I am absolutely committed to improving air quality and reducing pollution in towns and cities, which is essential for people’s health and the environment. This Government is investing £109 million to support British businesses in developing innovative, important technologies which will greatly reduce our emissions footprint. The number of ultra-low emission vehicles on our roads is at record levels and our renewed support for these exciting technologies is yet another significant milestone.”
More information on these projects
BEIS announcement
APC funding for low carbon - £3.8m battery project
http://www.apcuk.co.uk/2017/04/62m-apc-funding-for-low-carbon-innovation/
CAPRI
CAPRI (Connected & Autonomous POD on-Road Implementation) is a large consortium comprising 20 consortium partners in total. With a strong mix of academia, business and public sector authorities, each member will play an important role in the delivery of the CAPRI mobility service pilot scheme. The 17 CAPRI partners are: AECOM, AXA, Burges Salmon, Conigital, dynniq, ESP Group, Fusion Processing, Heathrow, Loughborough University, NEXOR, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, South Gloucestershire Council, Transport Simulation Systems, University of Warwick, University of Bristol, thingful, TVS, University of the West of England, Westfield and YTL.
Media contact
Lisa Barwick, Head of Marketing and Communications, WMG
Tel: 024 7652 4721 or 07824 540845
Email: L.Barwick@warwick.ac.uk