UK Manufacturer Axon Automotive Unveils Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle

27 October 2009

The Axon Automotive PHEV. Click to enlarge.

UK-based Axon Automotive, a spin-off from Cranfield University, previewed a pre-production plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) version of its lightweight city car at the Milton Keynes Science Festival. The Axon gasoline-powered city car uses existing engine technology and carbon fibre material advances to offer 100 mpg UK (83.3 mpg US, 2.8 L/100km).

The plug-in version offers full electric mode for local travel and uses a gasoline or bioethanol powered engine for long distance or highway travel. Using a typical UK powerstation mix to account for emissions generated during electricity generation, the Axon PHEV emits just under 50 g/km of CO₂ for the mix of electric and gasoline used in the Government test. This is half the level needed for free annual road tax in UK for this car (band ‘A’ is below 100 g/km of CO₂ = zero road tax in the UK).

Axon Automotive uses novel manufacturing techniques to make carbon fibre technology, which has been associated with racing cars, affordable for eco cars.

By designing light cars and giving them good aerodynamics you can radically lower vehicle emissions. As a plug-in hybrid we have no limitation on range but we can maximize the benefits of electrics day to day without the cost and weight of large batteries.

—Axon’s Managing Director, Dr Steve Cousins

The Axon car is a multipurpose vehicle built for two adults plus luggage. Stressing that carbon fibre can be recycled, the car has fashion house designed seating made from recycled fabrics (jeans and recycled pinstriped suits) and door panels made from recycled carbon fibre.

Axon Automotive Ltd. is the only UK owned car company making a plug-in hybrid EV and is funded by the UK Technology Strategy Board and private investment. The first cars will be on sale in 2011 with full production in 2012. The manufacturing roll-out will be via small factories in UK and in Europe including Spain, France, Ireland, Denmark, and Holland.

Axon Automotive Ltd. developed the concept and many of the technologies respectively at Open University and Cranfield University which are part of the Milton Keynes science base. Axon Automotive Ltd. was established in 2006 and launched at the Eden Project ‘Sexy Green Car Show’ in 2007 showing the Axon edition Caterham 7 which achieved 109 mpg US (2.2 L/100km) at the Shell Ecomarathon race. The Axon 8080 gasoline city car was released at the 2008 Eden Car Show.

In 2008, a consortium led by Axon also received an award from the UK Technology Strategy Board to develop a structural carbon fibre car with a plug-in hybrid option. (Earlier post.)

In February 2009,the UK’s The Technology Partnership (TTP), through its Carbon Trust incubator service, helped Axon Automotive secure £2.5 million (US$4.1 million) in a first round investment from an “international green investor” and the UK government, to progress critical phases in the development of the Axon hatchback. Of the first round, more than £2M is from the Technology Strategy Board, specifically to develop a plug-in hybrid version of the city car. Axon Automotive expects to raise a further £5M later this year as the city car moves towards initial production.