Warwick University to head up £3m research programme into electric vehicles

WARWICK University’s School of Engineering has been selected to lead a £3m programme to improve the efficiency and marketability of electric vehicles.

Professor Phil Mawby, from the engineering school, will head a consortium of UK researchers looking at technological enhancements to electrical drive systems of such vehicles.

The aim is to both improve power density and reduce costs allowing more electric vehicles to reach the mass consumer market.

Prof Mawby said: “The high cost of electric vehicles is often attributed to the cost of their batteries when in fact the cost of their electrical powertrain is much higher than that of an equivalent internal combustion engine.

“Much research is already focused on batteries but we also need to work on this neglected feature of electrical vehicles and we have some novel ideas that we think will bring great benefits.”

The Warwick research will be funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

In total, the EPSRC is providing £10m for major projects at Warwick, Loughborough, and Brunel universities to address fundamental research questions in the development of low carbon vehicles.

These projects have been developed by EPSRC with the Technology Strategy Board (TSB), through the Low Carbon Vehicle Innovation Platform Integrated Delivery Programme.

The university said the work would build on earlier research successes developed through the £10m Birmingham Science City initiative.

Business Minister Mark Prisk, who announced the research programme at an exhibition featuring UK produced electric vehicles, said: “The Government is absolutely committed to low carbon growth, tackling climate change and making our energy supply more secure.

“This highlights UK success as advanced manufacturers of low carbon vehicles and the £10m research grant will help ensure that the UK remains a world leader.”

EPSRC chief executive Prof Dave Delpy said: “As part of the Integrated Delivery Programme, EPSRC will be supporting a strategic programme of university-based research. The provision of high quality academic research ideas provides the basis for businesses to translate science into the vehicle market.”

The low carbon vehicle exhibition is taking place outside the Department for Business Innovation and Skills in London. Among the vehicles on display are the new Range Rover Range_e and a zero emission taxi produced by Manganese Bronze subsidiary London Taxis International (LTI).

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