Led by Protean Electric, project PULSE (Power electronics Upscale for Localisation and Sustainable Electrification) brings together five industrial partners plus Coventry University and Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) to industrialise the assembly and manufacture of inverters and converters in the UK. PULSE aims also to accelerate the development and industrialisation of in-wheel motor and fuel-cell technology.
The project will see Unipart establishing a flexible power electronics manufacturing capability at its Beresford Avenue manufacturing site in Coventry. The facility will support the development and production of high-power DCDC converters and inverters, leveraging advanced vision systems, flow management, and end-of-line testing to enhance efficiency and quality. The first-of-its-kind flexible manufacturing line will focus on increasing local supply chain content and integrating low-carbon production methods.
By 2030, this project will create or safeguard 159 UK jobs and save an estimated 1.2 million tonnes of CO2 every year.
In a statement, Andy Davis, business development director of Unipart Manufacturing, said: "This project underscores our commitment to driving innovation in the UK manufacturing sector.
"By collaborating with Protean, Viritech, and our academic partners, we're not just expanding our capabilities, we're also playing a crucial role in establishing a sustainable and resilient domestic supply chain for power electronics.”
PULSE is one of eight projects sharing £29.6m of UK government funding from the APC facilitated Collaborative Research and Development funding round.
According to APC, the technologies under development aim to boost economic growth and are projected to create or safeguard over 3,500 jobs and reduce CO2 in the manufacturing and use of zero-emission vehicles.
Successful projects awarded funding include ReCircAl, a European Metal Recycling led project aiming to transform the UK aluminium supply chain through the creation of up to 100 per cent post-consumer scrap recycled extrusions for the automotive industry. The Monocoque Architecture — Lightweight and Low Embedded Energy (M-LightEn) project led by the Gordon Murray Group is developing a production-ready, ultra-lightweight, low CO2, monocoque architecture and solutions for a portfolio of future vehicles.
These projects are part of a larger funding package announced on September 17, 2024, to finance successful entrants into the Advanced Route to Market Demonstrator competition, Automotive Transformation Fund Feasibility Studies, and the Technology Developer Accelerator Programme.
Lamp post charging back in play after advice review
A helpful contribution to the problem. However it doesn't go anywhere near far enough. At best with 50m separation on one fo the sides of the...