Government-led initiative Faraday Battery Challenge could help the UK become a battery research, development and manufacturing leader in time for the next generation of electric vehicles.
The project will invest £246 million over the next four
years into projects to develop safe, durable, lighter, higher performance and
recyclable battery packs designed not only for EVs but other applications –
including powering the home and the national grid.
To cater for the influx of EVs in 2030, the scheme has
prioritised building two Gigafactories in the UK to satisfy the country’s
demand for batteries, and in the process the UK could become the next
powerhouse when it comes to developing battery technology.
Heading up the Faraday Battery Challenge from April will be Jaguar
Land Rover’s Tony Harper who leaves the company after 13 years at the helm of
research, after joining Jaguar as a graduate trainee in 1986.
Tony strongly believes that the UK has reached a pivotal
moment in terms of propulsion technology: “In automotive battery terms, we are
at version 1.0 and there are many more technological advancements to come. But
in the UK, we are already looking at how we can recycle and re-use batteries
after they have been decommissioned,” he said.
“In this country we have brilliant chemists and numerous
good small and medium enterprise tech start-ups based around batteries and
energy storage. What we have to do is work out how we turn that into an
industry. Our job is to take those ingredients and the end game to construct a
future that gives a better outcome for the UK.”
Core to the Faraday scheme is the collaboration of numerous
industries in the research, development and manufacturing of future battery
technology and their energy management.
The focus towards developing advanced battery technology in
the UK comes at a time where Jaguar Land Rover’s 2020 electrification a plan is
starting to bear fruit, with the plug-in hybrid Range Rover and Range Rover
Sport and the impending all-electric I-PACE leading the revolution.
Nick Rogers, Executive Director of
Product Engineering and Chair of the Faraday Challenge Steering Group added
that the automotive industry is going through an exciting and dynamic time of
change and that
proactively pursuing collaboration and innovation will help shape the future of
what Jaguar Land Rover will offer the world.
“The BEVolution is here, and it is affecting every OEM. At Jaguar
Land Rover we have technical curiosity and pioneering spirit. It’s up to us
to find new ways to create more desirable and enjoyable driving
experiences, with maximum efficiency, to make our customers’ lives better,”
he added.
By supporting this pioneering
research and innovation into the next generation of battery technology, we can
build on the strength of the skills and academic network in the UK and become a
centre of scientific excellence.”
One of the first recipients of the funding from the
Faraday initiative was the Warwick Manufacturing Group, who received £80
million for EV battery development. The group who co-own the research and
development facility National Automotive Innovation Centre alongside Jaguar
Land Rover and Tata Motors Europe, have been tasked with building a battery
manufacturing facility in Coventry.
TOPICS - Would you like to see Environmental Innovation Updates on TeamTalk?
