Warwick’s Advanced Propulsion Centre secures £80m for new projects

THE Government has awarded a West Midlands-based research centre £80m to pioneer projects that will bring fuel cell technology into van fleets, develop high efficiency transmissions and create the next generation of electric and hybrid buses.

The match funding will be split between four new projects through the Advanced Propulsion Centre, which is based at the University of Warwick.

One of the firms to benefit is Stafford-based engine manufacturer Perkins. It has been awarded £13m to develop innovative technologies for UK-built diesel engines for off-highway use and which are exported worldwide.

The funding is part of a wider £25.1m project in which Perkins is one of the partners.

Perkins Engines Company is one of the world’s leading suppliers of off-highway diesel and gas engines in the 4-2000 kW (5-2800 hp) market.

Of the other schemes, £4.3m has been awarded to a project for a new generation of electric and hybrid buses, to be developed by Wrightbus, while a £6.3m grant for a hydrogen fuel cell range extender for electric light commercial vehicle fleets will be part of a £12.7m project led by Intelligent Energy. The last project is a high efficiency transmission and electric drive by hofer powertrain UK, which receives £16.4m towards a £32.8m programme.

Since start-up in 2014, the APC has now committed investment to 10 low carbon propulsion projects that will safeguard development and manufacturing jobs in the UK.
 
Business Secretary Vince Cable said: “Green technology is needed to drive the cars of the future, and British designers and manufacturers must continue to lead innovators in this field.  

“With projects as diverse as developing high efficiency transmissions to creating a new generation of electric and hybrid buses, the Advanced Propulsion Centre is one of the driving forces behind the development of new technology to fuel the green engines of the future, enabling our car industry to be truly world beating.”