The UK’s Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) has awarded £35 million (US$45.5 million) to three UK-based low carbon automotive powertrain projects. The technologies developed will support aspirations for the UK to be a world leader in zero emissions technology as part of the Industrial Strategy and recently-published Road to Zero strategy.

With a total value of more than £70 million (US$91 million), including both government and industry investment, the projects are expected to enhance the UK’s supply chain and competitiveness in the development of ultra-low emission vehicles as well as upskilling UK workers.

The project consortiums are made up of companies including: hofer powertrain, Aston Martin, Ceres Power, Nissan, Artemis Intelligent Power and Danfross and Robbie Fluid, covering a broad range of industries. The projects have the potential to save more than 3 million tonnes CO₂.

Projects include:

• Artemis Intelligent Power: in Greater London, non-mobile machinery contributes 10% of all NO_x emissions and 11% of all PM₁₀ emissions. This project aims to introduce a disruptive technology to the off-highway vehicle sector, which will re-invent hydraulic power for the digital age. It has the potential to reduce fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions of some off-highway vehicles by more than 50% when fully developed and will help anchor future R&D and manufacturing capability in Scotland.

• Ceres Power: battery electric vehicles are among the core technologies that will enable the significant reduction of emission and pollutants in city centers and urban areas. Ceres will lead a project, with the support of Nissan, to develop a compact, high power density, solid oxide fuel cell specifically designed to extend the range of electric light commercial vehicles. (Earlier post.)

  This program addresses commercial vehicles, one of the most challenging to decarbonize aspects of the transport system, and will demonstrate the scalability of the technology to other automotive segments.

• hofer powertrain along with Aston Martin is developing a new generation of technically-advanced e-axle transmissions, e-motor and inverter modules, which will be manufactured in the UK, for future high-performance vehicles. The project is expected to build the UK’s e-mobility skills base and improve productivity.