Imperial College this week launched the Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Research Network, to pull together the breadth and depth of the College’s research expertise in areas including turbo charging and engine downsizing, fuel cells, batteries, electric motors, power electronics and vehicle architecture and build multidisciplinary research collaborations, to reduce vehicle lifecycle emissions, and carry out research on hybrid and electric vehicles.
The new research network is led by Ricardo Martinez-Botas, from Imperial's Department of Mechanical Engineering, an expert in engine turbochargers. “The move to low-carbon vehicles needs to embrace the significant and affordable changes that engineering can make, and recognise that short to medium term solutions will be essential. For example, by 2025, all passenger vehicles need to be using best-in-class internal combustion engines. The accompanying transition to alternative fuels and new transport infrastructures will require radical transformations to the current industry, markets and policy framework.”
The network was announced a new briefing paper on road transport technologies was published by the Grantham Institute for Climate Change at Imperial College, which concludes that radical changes in vehicle technologies and fuel and energy sources will be essential if the UK is to meet its commitment of 80 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
“Road transport makes a significant contribution to greenhouse gas emissions across the world, with the UK having one of the poorer emissions track records in Europe,” says lead author David Howey from Imperial's Department of Mechanical Engineering. “This briefing paper provides a technical review of low carbon vehicle options, which is relevant whether you are responsible for developing new technologies, making policy decisions, or considering buying a new car.”
The briefing paper is aimed at policy makers, investors, business, industry and members of the general public, highlighting immediate and future research priorities. It also outlines the policy changes required to reduce emissions rapidly, and suggests a range of options and some timescales for when they might need to be implemented.
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