Tata Motors to expand Warwick technical centre
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Tata Motors has announced plans to expand its UK research centre to focus on low carbon technology.
The Tata Motors’ European Technical Centre (TMETC) will recruit 100 engineers to work at its base at Warwick University, taking its staff total to 340 by 2013.
India-based Tata Motors, which owns Jaguar Land Rover, has invested over £85m in R&D at the centre since it was created in 2005, collaborating with the Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) on automotive research, design and development.
Dr Tim Leverton, head of advanced and product engineering at Tata Motors said: ‘Today’s announcement represents a further demonstration of Tata’s long-term commitment to build and develop R&D facilities here in the UK.
‘TMETC plays a vital role in Tata Motors global R&D network. Tata Motors gets access to world class thoughts, skills and technologies through the TMETC and its collaboration with WMG.’
The focus on low carbon technology has already started to produce tangible results, for example Tata Motors’ Vista Electric Vehicle which will be built at a factory in Coventry and will be available to fleet customers in the UK later this year.
Tata Motors’ Pixel City Car, which was unveiled earlier this month, was also developed on the WMG campus.
Based on the Tata Nano, the Tata Pixel is a concept car aimed at the European market and features a Zero Turn Infinitely Variable Transmission, which gives it a turning circle radius of 2.6 metres.
Nick Fell, director of TMETC, said: ‘We plan to further increase our team on the campus by up to 100 over the next two years, and are discussing establishing test and development facilities here. This shows a clear commitment to build and develop our R&D and facilities here in the UK in collaboration with WMG for the long term.’
