Uni joins forces with Jag on road to electric cars

COVENTRY and Warwickshire have taken another huge step towards leading the way in the development of electric cars thanks to a multi-million pound grant that will see the University of Warwick join forces with Jaguar Land Rover.

WMG at the University of Warwick has been awarded £5.7 million by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to form a ‘prosperity partnership’ with the Coventry car maker.

The ultimate investment will be worth at least double that, with Jaguar Land Rover match funding the grant, either through cash or in-kind contributions.

It could be boosted further by university contributions.

Initially the partnership between WMG and Jaguar Land Rover will work on research into energy systems and advanced propulsion.

The research will focus on bearing and gear surfaces, batteries, power electronics and electric machines. The research will also be embedded into learning within skills programmes. The partnership is further evidence of Jaguar Land Rover’s commitment to the region and of chief executive Relf Speth’s plan to put Coventry and Warwickshire at the heart of the firm’s electric vehicle plans. Earlier this year Jaguar Land Rover announced it would be building its first EV, the Jaguar I-Pace. The car has already been spotted being tested on Coventry and Warwickshire roads and is set to go on sale in 2018. Initially it will be made under contract by Magna Steyr in Austria but Jaguar Land Rover has plans to massively expand EV production, with the likelihood much of it will take place in the UK. The car maker is simultaneously working on developing cleaner petrol and diesel engines but has also pledged that customers will be offered the option of electrification on half its vehicles by 2020. Welcoming the £5.7m grant, WMG’s Professor Barbara Shollock said: “This prosperity partnership will tackle the emerging challenges for vehicle electrification through a unique collaboration to grow scientific understanding.

“This integrated approach brings the potential for the UK to lead, both industrially and scientifically, in an area of high growth and relevance in the UK’s industrial strategy.

“Our shared vision is to create new scientific insights to underpin the Automotive Council’s electrification agenda, from batteries and power electronics to electric motors and electric drive units.”

Electrification is a major element in the UK Industrial Strategy and seen as an opportunity to grow a new globally-competitive industry.

Its aim is that by 2050 almost every car and van in the UK will be an ultra-low emission vehicle, with the UK at the forefront of their design, development and manufacture. WMG said its partnership with Jaguar Land Rover would help deliver “the step-change in knowledge, understanding and technology” in order to achieve that. WMG already has research strengths in a range of the technologies needed, including its Energy Innovation Centre - a national facility for battery research.

It supports the test, development and scale-up of new battery chemistries from concept through to fully-proven traction batteries.

Current research focuses on developing cheaper, higher energy density and safer batteries.

This integrated approach brings the potential for the UK to lead, both industrially and scientifically in an area of high growth...