WMG research programme hailed a coup for the region
NEWS that the Government and automotive industry are investing £500m each over the next ten years into a new initiative which will be based in Coventry and Warwickshire has been heralded as “a coup for the region” by a major business figure.
WMG, at the University of Warwick, has been awarded a £65m research programme for its advanced propulsion research . The Advanced Propulsion Research Laboratory (APRL) will be part of the National Automotive Innovation Centre, of which Jaguar Land Rover is a partner.
The APRL will link people, research and world-leading infrastructure, to create next-generation technologies in the propulsion systems that are central to the future competitiveness of the automotive industry. The research scope will focus on internal combustion engines, hybrid and electric systems, lightweight vehicle technology and advanced automotive control systems.
The APRL fits with the Government and automotive industry’s aim to put the UK at the global centre of low carbon propulsion development and production.
The news has been announced by the Government as part of the third round of the UK Research Partnership Investment Fund which has awarded £14.5m along with further investment of £51m for the project to go ahead.
Jonathan Browning, chairman of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP), said: “This is a coup for WMG and for Coventry and Warwickshire and it represents further evidence that we are a global centre of automotive research, design and manufacturing.
“This really is a cutting-edge area of research and development and it is exactly the sort of development we want to attract in our bid to drive forward the economy of Coventry and Warwickshire.
“The UK will be at the forefront of designing the next generation of vehicles which will be powered by different technologies.
“The innovative work which will be carried out at the Advanced Propulsion Research Laboratory on collaborative low carbon vehicle projects will benefit the entire supply chain so this is a really exciting time for Coventry and Warwickshire.”
