Government and industry commit £133m to advanced powertrain technology23 April 2014

The UK government and automotive manufacturers Ford, Cummins, GKN and JCB are planning to invest £133 million in powertrain development projects to improve fuel efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.

The investment, part of the Technology Strategy Board and industry £1 billion Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC), is set to be announced by business secretary Vince Cable on a visit to Ford's Dunton facility today (April 23).

According to Cable: "The next generation of cars, buses and diggers will be powered by radically different technologies and I want them to be developed here in Britain.

"Over the last few decades the British car industry has been transformed and today a new vehicle rolls off a UK production line every 20 seconds."

These projects will be the first of many to receive funding from the APC, which aims to transform the UK into a "propulsion nation, working as a hub of excellence for advanced powertrain technologies".

The initiative could secure up to 30,000 jobs currently linked to producing engines, while creating many more in the automotive supply chain.

Projects to win government funding in the first APC competition include Ford's £100m upgrade to the world-renowned EcoBoost engine, which will receive a £13.1m grant.

Dubbed ACTIVE (Advanced Combustion Turbocharge Inline Variable Valvetrain Engine), the project is centred on Ford's 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine, the International Engine of the Year in 2012 and 2013. It is to encompass advanced turbocharging, advanced combustion system development and variable valvetrain technology, targeting substantial CO2 savings.

Cummins, along with a consortium of partners, will also receive £4.9m towards a £9.9m project to introduce stop/start engine technology to buses, with a goal of improving fuel consumption by up to 20%.

Named FIRSTTM (Frequent Integrated Soft Stop Start Technology), the 36-month project involves engineers from three of Cummins' UK businesses based in Darlington, Stamford, Peterborough and Huddersfield.

GKN Land Systems and its partners are set to receive £7.5m as part of a £16m project to introduce Williams F1 technology into bus powertrains to avoid energy wastage.

JCB and its partner Flybrid will also be awarded a £3.3m grant as part of a £7.3m project to apply Formula 1 KERS technology in diggers – cutting carbon emissions and improving fuel consumption.

Ian Vallely

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