For engines, Performance Products has developed niche volume assembly line technology appropriate for volumes up to 10,000 engines per year and successfully installed and operates its first production line at its Headquarters in Shoreham-by-Sea where on average 100 engines per week are continuously assembled and tested.

With production now successfully in tens of thousands and a supply chain that has supported more than a dozen engine derivatives, Performance Products is recognised as a leader in independent niche volume high performance engine manufacture.

Ricardo also has extensive engineering design and development experience in the field of hybrid and electric vehicle battery pack ranging from applying new chemistries and formats, to designing & building prototype packs and supporting our clients through full production programs.

In July 2017, Ricardo announced it had developed a new model-based EV battery control technology that is scalable to a wide range of applications. (Earlier post.)

The Performance Products division is now applying its battery and niche production expertise to high performance automotive battery systems.

In the first phase of the project recently completed, Ricardo’s manufacturing specialists worked in partnership with the company’s hybrid and electric systems engineering group in developing an assembly and manufacturing process for an innovative battery pack based on the requirements of the vehicle OEM.

In addition, Ricardo established a global supply chain that will ultimately be capable of delivering fully assembled and tested battery systems in annual production quantities ranging from hundreds up to multiple thousands.

Ricardo has an already well-established capability in the design and engineering of electric and hybrid vehicle battery packs and management systems. As such, it makes complete sense for us to provide a turn-key service—including battery pack manufacture—for performance electric vehicles, in the same way that we manufacture high performance engines, transmissions and drivelines for premium and motorsport applications powered by combustion engines.

Ricardo has a proven capability in the establishment of complex and high-quality supply chains for high-value, small to medium volume high performance products. The project just completed is a further demonstration of Ricardo’s aim to become both the engineering and manufacturing partner of choice for the niche battery systems of high performance EVs and hybrids.

—Ricardo Performance Products managing director Mark Barge