The Welsh Government will co-fund a third round of investment in
greener and cleaner innovation through the Ford Low Carbon
Vehicle Transformation Fund as part of its response to the
climate emergency, Economy Minister, , announced today.
Set up by the Ford Motor Company in 2020, the Welsh
Government-administered fund addresses strategic industrial
technical challenges associated with low-carbon vehicles,
including electrical energy storage, electric motors, power
electronics and powertrains. Collaboration and building new
future supply chains are key elements of the Fund.
One of the first projects to be funded is a project being led by
Caerphilly-based advanced research and development firm
Deregallera.
Electric motors have been in use for decades. Of the many
different motor types, permanent magnet motors offer the best
performance. However, nearly 85% of the world’s reserves of the
special materials needed for permanent magnets come from China.
In addition to the geo-political issues that result from relying
on one country for natural resources, current practices mean this
finite resource is being depleted, which results in worrying
environmental issues, including concerns about the long-term
sustainability of distributing “rare earth” material around the
globe.
The Deregallera-led project involves the design of an alternative
motor for electric vehicles that is less harmful to the global
environment.
Martin Boughtwood of Deregallera explains:
“This project to create a high-efficiency, high-torque density
motor without or with substantially fewer permanent magnets will
add to our high-performance motor and inverter offerings,
providing customers with a secure supply chain alternative
solution if these sources become too costly or constrained.”
Another project that’s received support from the fund is
Bangor-based The Denis Ferranti Group. The firm are using funding
to support HYDENSE, a project aiming to seize a significant
proportion of the global electric traction motor market by
optimising machine performance against cost. This is being
achieved by leveraging Denis Ferranti Group’s motor design
capability in combination with the Advanced Manufacturing
Research Centre’s (AMRC Cymru) extensive knowledge of latest
manufacturing techniques.
The next round of funding, which opens today, will see up to £1m
invested in projects by the end of 2024.
Economy Minister, said:
“This is an important fund which will help to deliver our
ambitious 2050 net zero commitments. In February, I launched our
Innovation Strategy to create a stronger, fairer, and greener
Wales. I want to see an economy that innovates for growth, where
organisations collaborate and adopt new technologies to create
solutions to society’s challenges.
“The Ford Low Carbon Vehicle Transformation Fund is an example of
our flexible support for innovation. The Fund has already
supported eight Welsh-based organisations and I am keen to extend
the opportunity to others.
“This is a great example of government working with industry to
create new green jobs in the industries of the future.”
For more information on how to apply and terms and conditions,
please visit: Ford Low Carbon
Vehicle Transformation Fund on Business Wales
Notes to editors
Projects must align with one of the following Automotive Council
Roadmaps:
- Electrical Energy Storage;
- Electric Machines;
- Power Electronics;
- Fuel Cell;
- Lightweight Vehicle & Powertrain Structure.
