Green Watch

Could consortium project win drive development of low carbon cars?

Are you on the search for a set of wheels that will be kinder to the environment?

Those looking into the green car options that are not only available to them now but also what will be on offer in the future could be interested in details of a multimillion pound project win for one consortium.

Consisting of historic car maker Jaguar Land Rover and micro gas turbine company Bladon Jets among others, the group has secured a £15 million fund from the Technology Strategy Board to support its work in the development of mass market low carbon-emitting vehicles.

The consortium, which also includes electrical machine company SR Drives, are looking to develop a gas turbine - known as Ultra Lightweight Range Extender - for use in cars which will not only be environmentally-friendly but also commercially-viable.

The ULRE will consist of a Bladon Jets-patented axial flow gas turbine engine coupled to a high speed generator which utilises SR Drives' proprietary switched reluctance technology, as Jaguar Land Rover will oversee the design of the ULRE’s packaging for integration with vehicles.

Sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Technology Strategy Board aims to drive technology-enabled innovation and encourage growth and productivity among UK firms.

Paul Barrett, executive chairman of Bladon Jets, claims that the win "is a really significant event" not only the firm but also "for the future of low carbon vehicle development in the UK".

"We are delighted to be working with our partners Jaguar Land Rover and SR Drives on this project and look forward to seeing our micro gas turbine engine play a major role in the renaissance of the British automotive industry," he adds.

But this is not the only green car technology to be in the pipeline. It was recently revealed OM Energy had received funding from Ultra Green to help advance work on its Electro Hydrogen Generator system to be incorporated into both new engines and existing vehicles. Such a solution would see waste energy from an exhaust used to create water, the hydrogen from which is then converted into fuel.

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