Coventry supports JLR’s battery challenge
PLANS to make Coventry a centre of excellence for automotive battery development is gaining impetus.
Stakeholders are rallying in support of Jaguar Land Rover’s latest challenge to the Government to support the development of the innovative technology.
The carmaker’s call follows the launch of its first ever electric vehicle – the i-Pace – at the Los Angeles Motor Show earlier this month and a commitment by the manufacturer that half of its vehicle range will have an electric hybrid option by 2020.
JLR chief, Dr Ralf Speth has said he believes that the development of the technology in the West Midlands could support thousands of new jobs in the region.
The growth of the electric vehicle market is likely to help with the manufacturer’s stated aim of doubling its production levels from 500,000 to one million cars a year.
However, the expansion would need the government to back the industry by upgrading the power grid in the region and improving infrastructure, especially the road network to ensure the supply chain is maintained.
Coventry City Council has already thrown its weight behind the company and is keen that the technology stays in the UK.
The area is not without its flagbearers.
Chinese-owned London Taxi Company is close to completing its new £250m factory at Ansty Park where an electric hybrid version of the famous black cab will be produced for both the domestic and export markets.
Also, WMG at the University of Warwick is spearheading a £5.4m project developing the next generation of battery packs for high performance, low carbon vehicles.
The move follows recognition for the university as the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK spoke for Electrical Energy storage.
The UK Automotive Battery Supply Chain project aims to exploit the latest innovations offered by battery technology.
Currently most of the technology within the battery systems used by the UK automotive industry is sourced from overseas suppliers, so this project aims to capitalise on the UKs strong battery technology research base and bring production back to the UK to serve demand from a changing automotive industry as its strives to deliver innovative ways to reduce carbon emissions and improve performance.
The collaborative project is funded by the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC), which was set up at the end of 2013 as a 10-year £1bn partnership between industry and government to build UK industrial capability through the research, development and industrialisation of low carbon propulsion technologies.
