The Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) has opened its 10th funding competition, making up to £30m (US$41m) available for the development of low-carbon powertrain technology in the UK.
Competition funding is open to a range of organizations including vehicle manufacturers, Tier 1 suppliers, SMEs and academic institutions, and is available for a wide range of low carbon projects including programs to develop alternative propulsion systems, power electronics and energy storage technology, as well as lightweighting and thermal propulsion systems.
Since the APC was founded in 2013, it has awarded funding to 36 UK-based projects, all with the aim of developing innovative low-carbon emissions technology. With projects valued at nearly US$825m, APC funding has helped vehicle manufacturers and suppliers to develop a number of low-carbon technologies.
Earlier this year, an APC project enabled Nissan and its partners to develop the production process for the new Nissan Leaf’s high-capacity battery. Ford has also been able to develop new low emissions technology, which will go into production on its 1.0-litrer EcoBoost engine shortly.
Ian Constance, chief executive of the APC, said, “The development of low-carbon powertrain technology remains crucial to the future success of the UK automotive industry. This latest round of APC funding, and the innovations it will support, will help to further establish the UK as a leading destination for the development of low-carbon technology.”
This funding competition is open to projects costing between £5m (US$6.85m) and £40m (US$54.8m), lasting for between 18 and 42 months.
