Highly Integrated, Scalable Motor and Inverter Module with Flywheel Energy Storage and E-Axle applications

This collaborative Industrial Research project brings together the partners of Shield-Engineering, PUNCH Flybrid, EMPEL Systems, PFS Manufacturing and Shield Manufacturing Technologies to develop innovative electric-motors, inverters and energy storage systems, ultimately resulting in three new UK manufacturing centres, creating c750 jobs overall, saving c250,000tonnes CO2/year and anchoring key technology for near-term hybridised ICE/BEV vehicles in the UK.
This will enable EMPEL, an SME to manufacture inverters, Shield, a UK Tier2 to evolve into an Automotive Tier1 e-motor manufacturer, and PUNCH Flybrid's technology and manufacturing of automotive flywheels to be anchored in the UK.
The project addresses the automotive council strategic technologies to provide state-of-the-art electric machines and power electronics, alternative hybrid propulsion systems and energy storage systems using flywheel energy storage. This is achieved through development of two innovate products: * Modular, multi-voltage, scalable e-motor with integrated inverter technology, at >15kW/kg almost double the Automotive Council targets for e-motor power to weight ratio. * Modular flywheel energy storage technology integrated with e-motor and inverters that achieve double the state-of-the-art power density of battery packs at lower cost.
The technologies will be validated on multiple automotive evaluation and production intent vehicles. These include hybrid and BEV sports cars which push the envelope of power to weight ratio for e-module technology and flywheels for light-duty hydrogen ICE and medium-duty BEV to demonstrate CO2 emissions improvements from fuel-saving, brake energy recovery and extended electric drive range.
Key components such as motor internals, forgings, die-castings and power electronics systems will be developed within the UK supply chain to anchor the technology in the UK providing growth for UK manufacturing.
Overall, this project will deliver R&D directly worth £13.27M (including £2M overseas) with £5.63M of APC funding to generate three pilot plants for production of e-motors, inverters and flywheels. Over the following 7 years the partners will invest in scaling-up the three manufacturing plants to produce >40,000/year e-motors and, inverters creating c750 jobs in the process.
The technology will also be exploited for off-highway and industrial applications including green technologies. This project will be transformational for UK electric motor and inverter production whilst enabling UK flywheel technology, originally born from F1 racing, to be successfully commercialised.