Advanced Propulsion Centre

Advanced Propulsion Centre
Name	Advanced Propulsion Centre
Founded	2013
Headquarters	United Kingdom

Advanced Propulsion Centre is a UK-based organization that supports the development and commercialization of low-emission propulsion technologies for road vehicles and related sectors. It acts as a funding body, technology accelerator, and coordination hub connecting industry, academia, and institutional partners to accelerate innovation in electrification, hydrogen, and hybrid systems. The centre operates through competitive funding calls, consortia building, and strategic roadmapping to align industrial capacity with policy targets and market needs.

History

The centre was established in 2013 in response to strategic reviews and industrial strategies including the Automotive Council UK roadmap and advice from bodies such as the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders and the Office for Low Emission Vehicles. Early activities drew on precedents from agencies like Innovate UK and advisory inputs from committees including the UK Research and Innovation framework and members of the House of Commons Business and Trade Select Committee. Milestones include initial funding rounds coordinated with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and collaborations with academics from institutions such as the University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, and Cranfield University. The centre has evolved alongside policy instruments like the Road to Zero Strategy and international agreements referenced at the COP26 summit.

Organization and Governance

The centre operates as a collaborative enterprise involving corporate partners such as Jaguar Land Rover, Nissan Motor Corporation, Aston Martin, Ford Motor Company, and supply-chain firms including GKN and McLaren Applied. Governance comprises a board with representatives from industry, academia, and public agencies, mirroring structures used by entities like the National Physical Laboratory and British Standards Institution. Strategic oversight engages regional development bodies such as Greater Manchester Combined Authority and national actors including the Department for Transport and non-departmental public bodies patterned after Catapult centres governance. Advisory groups include technical chairs drawn from universities like University of Birmingham and Loughborough University and external reviewers with experience at European Commission programmes.

Research and Development Programs

R&D programmes span battery technologies, electric motors, power electronics, hydrogen fuel cells, and systems integration, reflecting topics studied at Faraday Institution, Battery Innovation Centre, and research labs associated with Rolls-Royce Holdings and Siemens. Projects have targeted cell chemistry development akin to work at Johnson Matthey facilities, lightweight structures comparable to projects at Tata Steel research centres, and software and controls paralleling activities at ARM Holdings and Bosch. Collaborative calls have mirrored frameworks used by Horizon 2020 and EUREKA and sought expertise from institutes such as the Energy Technologies Institute and Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre. The centre has funded demonstrators aligned with standards from the International Organization for Standardization and testing regimes used at national proving grounds like Millbrook Proving Ground.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding mechanisms combine public grants, industry co-investment, and matched funding models similar to arrangements with Innovate UK and European Investment Bank-style instruments. Partners include automotive OEMs (for example Toyota Motor Corporation), Tier 1 suppliers such as Magna International, technology firms like ARM, and research councils including Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. Regional and international collaborations have involved agencies such as Scottish Enterprise, Welsh Government, Northern Powerhouse initiatives, and international counterparts exemplified by the National Science Foundation and German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. The centre administers competitions using assessment panels with experts from institutions like Royal Academy of Engineering and industry groups including the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

Facilities and Infrastructure

Supported facilities include battery validation laboratories, high-voltage test rigs, and integration laboratories comparable to those at Daresbury Laboratory and Harwell Campus. The centre co-invests in demonstrator infrastructure that leverages testing facilities such as Millbrook Proving Ground and materials testing capabilities similar to National Composites Centre resources. Collaborative use agreements tie into university cleanrooms at University College London and pilot manufacturing lines at sites like the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre. Logistics and supply-chain testbeds involve ports and transport hubs that coordinate with regional development agencies, and skills development links to training providers such as City and Guilds and apprenticeships promoted by Institute of Mechanical Engineers.

Impact and Notable Projects

The centre has contributed to acceleration of battery cell development, electric drive units, and hydrogen fuel-cell demonstrators that influenced product rollouts at firms including Jaguar Land Rover and Nissan Motor Corporation. Notable consortia supported mirror efforts such as the Faraday Battery Challenge and have enabled pilot production lines, commercialization of power electronics, and demonstrator fleets deployed in trials with public bodies like Transport for London. Impacts include leveraging private investment, enabling technology transfer from universities such as University of Warwick and University of Sheffield, and informing UK industrial strategy documents like papers produced by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. The centre’s projects have been showcased at industry events including Cenex-LCV and Autosport International and cited in analyses by think tanks such as the International Council on Clean Transportation and RAC Foundation.

Category:Research organisations in the United Kingdom