The UK’s Advanced Propulsion Center (APC) has announced it will provide £11 million for 12 automotive projects as part of the Advanced Route to Market Demonstrator (ARMD2) competition. The companies involved in these projects have also doubled the funding, resulting in a total investment of £22.7 million.
One of the outstanding projects is the development of a solid-state battery for Mercedes-AMG. This cutting-edge technology has the potential to revolutionize the automotive industry by offering higher energy density, faster charging times, and greater safety.
Jaguar Land Rover will work to develop an optimized Sustainable Automotive Composite (SOCA) material for use in automotive applications. This innovative material will help reduce the weight of vehicles, resulting in higher fuel efficiency and lower emissions.
Other projects in this competition include the development of electric motors for high-end electric cars, lightweight motors and novel in-wheel motors (IWM) for electric vehicles, and the demonstration of an electric drive unit (EDU) for commercial vehicles.
Hydrogen technology also plays an important role in these funded projects: one project is about the development of a fuel cell drive train for heavy commercial vehicles; another is about demonstrating an agricultural tractor with an engine that runs on renewable hydrogen; and one project is a next-generation powertrain for hydrogen fuel cell buses.
Ian Constance, CEO of APC, was excited about the prospects for these projects, saying: “In just 12 months, we will see the fruits of this £22.7 million investment by both industry and government.” As part of the ARMD2 Projects funded by the competition, they will be exhibited at the annual Cenex LCV exhibition in September 2024.
Taken together, these projects demonstrate the UK’s commitment to advancing the field of automotive propulsion technologies. By investing in cutting-edge research and development, the UK aims to remain at the forefront of the global automotive industry.
