Road to Net Zero Podcast

This collaborative R&D project was set up to build a new circular supply chain for electric vehicle (EV) batteries in the UK, by developing the infrastructure to collect and recycle EVs and their batteries. One of the repeated myths around EVs is that the batteries cannot be recycled, repaired or reused, and therefore end up in landfill. It’s not true. Batteries are far too valuable to conside...

What are the APC's Quarterly Industry Demand Forecast Reports? How are they used in industry? Why do the numbers matter? This episode takes you through the process behind demand reporting, how the data is collected, and the challenges of forecasting. Featuring SMMT's Chief Economist, Matthew Croucher and Christian Marston, COO of battery material recyclers Altilium, to explain why this research is...

🎙️ The Road to Net Zero is back! Get ready for a brand-new series from the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC) as we dive into the future of clean, green automotive innovation. We’re starting with DRIVE35 — the bold new initiative from the Department for Business and Trade that’s set to supercharge the UK’s journey to zero-emission vehicles. With over £2.5 billion in funding to 2035, DRIVE35 is mo...

eShadow is an £8.5 million project - including £4.1 million in Government grant funding - aiming to develop a lightweight chassis design for electric commercial that significantly improves payload capacity without compromising durability or cost-effectiveness.  Listen to this in-depth interview with late Professor Alan Banks, to whom we dedicate this episode. As UK Lightweight Innovations Manager...

The APC, on behalf of the Automotive Council UK, has updated its roadmaps for 2024.   The highly-anticipated documents chart a path to a net-zero future, and give clarity to help you navigate through where the innovations will be in the next decade and beyond.   Reporting from Cenex Expo, the UK auto industry's showcase of zero-emission and connected automated mobility, Clem Silverman asked people...

What happens to an EV battery when it reaches the end of its life? It's re-born! The destiny of batteries is not landfill, but to be recycled to extract the critical minerals and go into new products. Although in its infancy, this is an industry with an exciting future ahead of it. On reaching end-of-life, batteries can be discharged, dismantled and shredded to produce black mass, a rich source of...

Why did BMW choose a team of British small businesses and academics to design the next-generation of inverters for its battery electric vehicles? Energy and transport journalist David James interviews David Bock, BMW Technical Lead on the £26 million @FutureBEV project, who explains it's down to the UK's expertise in power electronics. “If you can make the parts simpler, you reduce the cost, you i...

What is an e-turbo? What's a turbo doing in a hydrogen fuel cell powertrain?  Transport and energy journalist David James visits Laith Al-kazaz, Advanced Engineering Director at Cummins to learn about this technology, developed by a £20 million project to capture wasted energy and put it back into use. Known as 'Trident', this project aimed to increase efficiency in hydrogen fuel cells through the...

Is the UK focusing its efforts in the right areas when it comes to e-motors technology and the UK supply chain? Strategic Trends Manager at the APC, Chris Jones, speaks to our Stakeholder Engagement Lead, Clem Silverman, to give his thoughts and to discuss some of the key trends raised in our latest value chain report on e-motors. You can read the full report here: Electric motors: Is the UK placi...

It’s well known that lithium is a hugely important resource for battery technology. But what is it used for? Where does it come from? Dr. Chris Jones from the APC’s Technology Trends team is back in the booth for this episode of the Road to Net Zero to answer some of these questions. Nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) and lithium ferrophosphate (LFP) based chemistries are expected to be the two most po...

Ford’s vehicle transmission factory at Halewood on Merseyside is being transformed to build electric power units for future Ford all-electric passenger and commercial vehicles in Europe. Once complete this year, the line will produce over 400,000 units per year. The site at Halewood was competing for investment with others in Europe, but with a grant and support by the Advanced Propulsion Centre U...

Imerys British Lithium has discovered 161 million tonnes of lithium ore in the granite beneath a Cornish clay mine, which could produce 20 kilotonnes of refined lithium per year for 30 years. The UK Government’s Automotive Transformation Fund (ATF), managed by the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC), has supported a pilot processing plant at the same location. Creating a local supply chain of crit...

What kind of journey has the automotive sector's been on over the past decade, and why might a 'UK Tesla' be a way off yet? The second of our two-part podcast marking our 10-year anniversary. We're joined by three automotive experts, Bob Dover, Prof. Neville Jackson, and Prof. Colin Garner who sit on the APC's board. 2023 is an incredibly special year for us. Established in 2013 to bridge the gap...

How has the investment environment changed over the 10 years since the APC's foundation? This is the first in a two-part podcast episode in which the APC board members have gathered round the microphones to reflect on the past decade and how things are shaping up for the future. We are joined by finance experts Charles Haswell and Geoffrey Bicknell to discuss investment in the automotive sector, a...

🔋 This is the latest Battery Value Chain Insight report from our Technology Trends team. Explained by Strategic Trends Manager Dr Chris Jones, it highlights the challenges for manufacturers and aims to help them to make smarter, more informed plans, for the future of automotive battery manufacturing in the UK.  UK Automotive manufacturers have tough decisions to make about what type of battery ch...

The Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC) is well known for its role in deploying UK government grant funding for research and development and scale-up, to support the automotive industry’s transition to zero tailpipe emissions and net-zero vehicles. But we at the APC are not just about funding, we’re as much about the connections and collaborations we foster to really add value. One such example is...

Did you know November 2023 marks the 10th anniversary of the Advanced Propulsion Centre? We’re planning a series of events and content leading up to our 10th birthday in November. In early September, we hosted a session at Cenex Low Carbon Vehicle – Cenex Connected Automated Mobility Show to celebrate the achievements and milestones of the past decade, alongside our business partners and colleague...

A new collaborative research and development project, led by Ford, has recently been announced as part of the APC's latest round of funding: the £16 million  Fuel cell Commercial Vehicle Generation 2.0  (FCVGen2.0) project. It aims to design, develop, and build a fleet of 8 hydrogen fuel cell powered E-Transit vans.  Other members of the consortium include several SMEs and two other multinationals...

Can electric vehicle batteries be repaired, recycled and reused? What solutions are available to industry?   An important collaborative research and development project aims to create a circular supply chain for electric vehicle batteries in the UK. Currently, most end-of-life battery packs are shipped outside of the UK for treatment, at significant cost. Not only is this unsustainable, but it exp...

Did you get chance to read our last quarterly demand report for 2022/23, published at the end of March? If not, make sure to listen to our Technology Trends team take you through the key talking points and highlights. Read the Q4 2022 Automotive Industry Quarterly Demand Report: https://www.apcuk.co.uk/q4-2022-automotive-industry-demand-forecast/ With so much happening right now in the industry, o...

This tractor is running on methane captured from cow slurry. The world’s first 100% methane-powered tractor has been developed through a project that received £9.1 million in government funding from the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC). Running on biomethane fuel made from recovered cow dung, the tractor could help save farmers money, reduce GHG emissions and support sustainable farming of local p...

This is a very special episode that takes a deep-dive into the complex subject of power electronics. The Advanced Propulsion Centre recently released a new 'value chain map' to breakdown the mystery of semiconductor manufacturing, which is available now to download. https://www.apcuk.co.uk/power-electronics-value-chain-launched-to-kick-start-robust-uk-supply-chain/   Availability of semiconductors...

Oxford RF has developed the world’s first 360-degree solid-state radar system. The sensors aim to reduce costs and increase reliability for advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and driverless vehicles, ultimately leading to more of these on the road. As CEO Dr Kashif Siddiq explains, there are currently too many sensors on vehicles – including cameras, radars and LiDARs. More sensors mean mor...

Despite the disappointing news for the automotive sector early this year, there are plenty of opportunities and things to look forward to in 2023. Listen to the latest Road to Net Zero episode with the views of APC CEO, Ian Constance.

How did Norfolk-based Equipmake develop a world-leading electric drivetrain? And build a £400 million pipeline? And grow from 15 to 75 employees? And float on the Aquis Stock Exchange (AQSE)? By taking part in an APC-funded collaborative research and development project, of course! Equipmake CEO Ian Foley speaks to transport and energy journalist David James about the company's recent success and...