In a bid to raise its electric and hybrid vehicle credentials, the UK is due to begin an automotive battery pack manufacturing research project.
Dubbed AMPLiFII (Automated Module-to-pack Pilot Line for Industrial Innovation), the project will develop UK-based knowledge, skills, technology and facilities in battery module development and fabrication.
The project also aims to develop a UK automotive supply chain based around hybrid and electric vehicle technology requiring volumes from hundreds to thousands of units per year.
Led by WMG at the University of Warwick, the project brings together a number of OEMS, as well as supply chain and technology partners.
The work also supports the UK Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) National Spoke for Electrical Energy Storage.
As well as leading the project, WMG will host the pilot manufacturing line as part of its Energy Innovation Centre on the University of Warwick campus.
When completed, the pilot line will become an open facility at WMG, operating alongside the national cell scale-up facility already at WMG, and form part of the “Electrical Energy Storage” Spoke of the APC.
Professor David Greenwood from WMG, University of Warwick, said developing and creating a modular battery architecture, based on cylindrical cells for both high power and high energy requirements, the supply chain would be able to aggregate demand for components from many applications and benefit from significant economies of scale.
The UK’s innovation agency Innovate UK has given £10 million funding to support the project.