SMMT News

The UK has the opportunity and capability to be at the forefront of advanced propulsion

11 June 2014 #SMMT News

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The UK not only has a history of advanced propulsion but, thanks to the Advanced Propulsion Centre, has the opportunity to make it a global centre for low carbon powertrain development and production.

This was one of the points raised by Jerry Hardcastle, OBE, General Manager – Innovation and Performance Projects at Nissan Motor Company, in the plenary session at the sixth SMMT International Automotive Summit. He noted that, due to developments in advanced propulsion in the past 25 years, the UK is now producing cars with more power and less emissions. He said that “it is a great time to be a powertrain engineer.”

He also noted that there is a growing opportunity to distil motorsport technologies into road cars, generating more power with better energy recovery and lower emissions.

Rob Rickell from GKN Driveline added that it will be legislation that drives what happens in the development in advanced propulsion. Car manufacturers, not only in the UK but across Europe, will follow the trend to reduce emissions and improve consumption.

He added that the future will see the development of the internal combustion engine run in parallel to hybridisation of vehicles.

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