Since the UK government announced its ban on air-polluting petrol and diesel cars to reduce potentially deadly NO2 emissions, an increasing number of manufacturing and engineering companies are developing cleaner and more efficient vehicles.
in gear for green.
In September, billionaire entrepreneur Sir James Dyson, founder of the well-known vacuum cleaner company, announced the company would steering its ambitions into the automotive sector with an electric car due in 2020.
His announcement followed the accidental disclosure of a government report that stated the Treasury would back Dyson to develop a new battery electric vehicle at its headquarters in Malmesbury, Wiltshire.
It would, the memo said, secure £174m of investment in the area, creating more than 500 jobs, mostly in engineering.
The statement has since been removed, but an internal note James sent to employees confirmed plans to create a car that has little to no NO2 emissions.
The design also features a cyclonic filter, that when fitted to the exhaust system traps harmful particles.
driving with dyson.
With this increased level of manufacturing comes the potential for the creation of jobs within the UK.
Dyson have estimated to spend around £2bn on the venture, and the internal memo stated they currently have a team of around 400, and that they are “recruiting aggressively.”
Dyson has presented an opportunity for the creation of jobs in the UK, an encouraging step for those in the automotive sector.
high-tech highway.
Similarly, the British-based manufacturer Alcraft have decided to get on board with the environmental revolution with the creation of the GT.
Capable of distances of more than 300 miles, a three-motor configuration with a four-wheel drive, a 500-litre luggage area and the ability to go from 0-62mph in a time of around 3.5 secs, the GT is set to be a contender even against Elon Musk’s Tesla. Its weight of just 1,700kg makes it 75% lighter than the Tesla Model S.
forward-thinking fuel.
Like the Dyson, the GT is set to be released in 2020 although the project is currently being crowdfunded by a rewards-based campaign.
The project would benefit from Britain’s automotive skill base and “its cutting-edge hi-tech innovation and engineering ingenuity to its design credentials”, the company said.
If the GT proves a hit would be a big win for the jobseekers in the engineering and manufacturing sectors.
making a brake-through.
Lastly there is MAGTEC’s endeavour into the realm of electric public transport with its MAGTEC P211 bus.
It’s open-aired double-decker will be trialled in York with features including outputs of up to 3000Nm of torque and 200kW power, an eight hour charging time, noiseless operation and no tailpipe emissions.
One game-changing component of the P211 is its regenerative braking technology, which eliminates the particle pollution that occurs between brake pads and wheels.
As a result, Brake-wear is reduced and fewer oil-changes are required and its electric traction motor give the vehicle an impressive 94% efficiency rate.
MAGTEC have calculated typical environmental savings on the P211 to be 33 tonnes of CO2 and 535 kg of NOx per year, and monetary savings could be as high as £20k annually.
pistons for progression.
MAGTEC - the UK’s largest producer of hybrid and electric cars - is also developing by expanding their Rotherham site and building a second in Sheffield.
The expansions are largely due to a global demand for EVs, as MAGTEC positions itself as a global provider of low-cost and high-efficiency vehicles.
This is a big deal for the British automotive industry, who have been facing concerns over the outsourcing of factories and manufacturing plants to more affordable countries.
creating a fossil-fuel-free future.
Despite the economic issues we are currently facing, as well as concerns arising around the future of the single market, British manufacturers stepping up to the task of producing the transport of the future is promising.
The expansion of the industry will provide jobs for British workers and potentially kick-start the economy.
If we want to remain a technological power hub, it is important to secure our position by staying on-trend and setting ourselves up as a global competitor.
'exciting future.'
Chris Fine, engineering branch manager and recruitment specialist at Randstad CPE said: “The future looks extremely exciting for electric vehicle manufacture in the UK. It’s great to see both small and large organisations creating pioneering technology.
“Top engineering talent will be the driving force behind the success of these businesses so we will need to continue to seek skill sets from transferable industry sectors as we venture into a new era of vehicle tech.”
He added: “This is also very good news for the parts suppliers supporting these business and we will see this positive domino effect right the way through the supply chains creating and securing a large number of UK jobs. This is an exciting time for the industry.”