CV development funding helps drive zero-emissions future

By Categories: NewsPublished On: Tuesday 13 April 2021

A project to develop electric propulsion systems for HGVs will receive the largest portion of a newly announced £54 million government and industry funding package for the development of green technologies across a wide range of vehicle applications.

The investment is being coordinated by the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC), and will fund projects expected to secure almost 10,000 UK jobs, as well as potentially saving 45 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2).

Ian Constance, CEO at the Advanced Propulsion Centre, said the funding would “further accelerate the transition of the automotive sector to a net-zero future”, adding that the CO2 emissions cut would be equivalent to removing the lifetime emissions of nearly 1.8 million cars.

The lion’s share of the package, £31.9 million, will go towards the Meritor-led EPIC (Electric Powertrain Integration for Heavy Commercial Vehicles) project, based in Cwmbran in South Wales. EPIC is a response to the requirement of the next generation of zero-emissions heavy CVs for lightweight, ‘smart’ powertrains that can manage extreme power levels.

The project integrates motor, gearbox, inverter, differential and brakes in a single lightweight system for deployment in vehicles of up to 44 tonnes. The technology will have potential in various applications, such as offering improved travel range for trucks, and an energy efficiency boost for coaches and construction vehicles. This funding will also contribute to a new technology centre in Scotland.

“With this award, our consortium will develop a game-changing electric powertrain for heavy-duty 4×2 and 6×2 vehicles up to 44 tonnes,” said John Bennett, vice president and chief technology officer at Meritor. “This technology will provide commercial vehicle OEMs with the optimal solution to meet EU 2025 CO2 reduction targets, in addition to a host of other product benefits including greater efficiency, reduced weight, longer-range capability, and far greater application flexibility when compared to existing systems.”

Ken Hogan, vice president, truck, Europe, China, Japan and ASEAN for Meritor, added: “This grant will put Meritor’s highly-skilled Welsh-based engineering team at the forefront of advanced commercial vehicle technologies, positioning South East Wales as the premier location for companies developing clean transportation and technologies.

“Meritor’s existing air disc brake facility in Cwmbran will house a new European eMobility Centre of Excellence with expanded laboratory and R&D facilities.”

CV technology giant Meritor is highly active in the field of electric powertrains, having recently been appointed by electric vehicle manufacturer Volta Trucks as strategic drivetrain component supplier for its new Volta Zero vehicle. Meritor is to provide Volta with a single unit which will contain the vehicle’s electric motor, transmission and rear axle. The Blue Horizon 14Xe fully integrated ePowertrain, which is said to be lighter and more efficient than conventional electric motor and axle setups, will result in increased range for the Zero, as well as freeing up space between the rails of the chassis to provide a safe location for the vehicle’s battery.

The remainder of the £54m government package will be divided two ways. In Northern Ireland, £11.2m will fund the development and manufacture of hydrogen fuel cell technology by Wrightbus in Ballymena, for use in single and double-deck applications. This will enable higher volumes of vehicle production at lower cost.

The executive chairman of Wrightbus, Jo Bamford, said the funding would: “safeguard more than 1,000 skilled jobs and will allow us to create more than 3,000 additional jobs over the next 10 years, giving a significant boost to the wider economy in Northern Ireland.”

The remaining £11.3m will go towards the e-MOTIF (e-axle with Motor Inverter and Flywheel) project based in Southam, Warwickshire, led by Shield Manufacturing Technologies. e-MOTIF deploys a combination of lightweight energy recovery technology used in motorsport applications and a new motor and inverter for use in car and van applications.

Images supplied by Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC)