The UK automotive industry needs to define its post Brexit strategy to make the best of low carbon propulsion technologies – and the recent publication of a report for the Automotive Council outlining the key opportunities available to the UK provides a clear direction.
The report, Low Carbon Automotive Propulsion Technologies: The UK’s capability to capitalise upon future technology-led research-to-manufacture supply chain opportunities, was published by the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK. It represents the culmination of six months of research carried out in a collaboration with Ricardo and E4tech.
The drive for further significant emissions reductions, as well as the trend towards the increasing electrification of vehicle powertrains, is already disrupting incumbent supply chains. This is providing opportunities for those automakers and suppliers embracing the challenge of technological change, who can benefit from international first-mover advantage. The report identifies a range of strategic opportunities that align with strong capabilities and latent potential within the UK automotive sector. These provide the potential for the UK to build a strong future supply chain position given suitable investment in key areas. The identified UK capabilities, needs and opportunities are organised into 5 technology themes: Engines; Transmissions, driveline and kinetic energy recovery systems; Traction electric machines and power electronics; Traction batteries and fuel cells, and; Light-weighting technologies.
“The UK automotive industry was already at a crossroads in terms of the external environmental, technological and commercial drivers for change,” commented Angela Johnson, Ricardo chief engineer, advanced technology development. “In the aftermath of the Brexit vote, this report is urgently needed; it will help to inform government and industry of the most attractive opportunities that are available to form the basis of future UK automotive strategy.”
“With UK industrial strategy and energy policy now under the same Whitehall department, a clear long term view about powertrains is possible for the country’s automotive industry,” added E4tech director Adam Chase. “The UK automotive industry needs a strategic plan to ensure that it stays ahead in the new era of low carbon propulsion – and our report provides a solid basis for that plan.”
The report, Low Carbon Automotive Propulsion Technologies: The UK’s capability to capitalise upon future technology-led research-to-manufacture supply chain opportunities, is available for download from the UK Advanced Propulsion Centre web site: http://www.apcuk.co.uk/uk-automotive-capability-study/.
The UK automotive industry needs to define its post Brexit strategy to make the best of low carbon propulsion technologies – and the recent publication of a report for the Automotive Council outlining the key opportunities available to the UK provides a clear direction. The report, Low Carbon Automotive Propulsion Technologies: The UK’s capability to capitalise … Continued
