JLR to lead advanced powertrain project

The TSB-Backed, two-year Evoque_e initiative will involve 12 partners from industry and academia, including GKN, Williams Advanced Engineering, Delta Motorsport and Tata Steel. The collaborators will look to design, develop and build three research vehicles showcasing state of the art, next generation powertrain concepts for a mild hybrid electric vehicle (MHEV), a Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV) and a full Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV). Peter Richings, director of hybrids and electrification at JLR, said: "The aim of the project is to develop technology platforms which are configurable and compatible within the architecture of an existing production vehicle. "The modular technologies include single and multi-speed axle drives, modular battery packs and integrated power electronics, multi-machine, advanced control development and torque vectoring. The research teams will look at how the speed of the electric motor can be increased to reduce its size, weight and cost while enhancing performance and durability. They will also look at the use of alternative materials to both reduce the use of rare earth materials and for systems optimisation. "The outcome of the Evoque_e project will be new technologies with the potential for high volume production that are capable of delivering benchmark performance in terms of cost, weight and sustainable use of materials," Richings concluded.