WMG receives £4.25m for new vehicle projects

Warwick Manufacturing Group will play a key role in two new vehicle projects exploring high power battery and autonomous technologies.

Part of the University of Warwick, WMG is set to receive a total of £4.25m for its role in the new research. The first project – for which the Group has been awarded £3.8m – will see WMG working with BMW and Delta Motorsport to design and develop power dense batteries in the UK. High-power batteries are viewed as a vital technology to enable the widespread adoption of electric vehicles, particularly outside of mainstream automotive applications.

Professor Dave Greenwood from WMG said: “This research collaboration will utilise WMG’s electrochemical materials and engineering expertise, and use WMG’s world class battery testing and validation facilities, for understanding optimal power density in application of Li-ion battery cells, modules and packs.”

“It will push forward the boundaries of existing knowledge of Li-ion cells and battery systems to support higher power capabilities than is currently normal within commercial systems, and to apply this to the developed system. While most mass market car battery applications are more focused on high energy density, higher power will be more important for other vehicle and transport sectors such as high performance cars, rail, marine, buses, trucks, and off-road vehicles.”