Protean Electric, a leading developer of in-wheel motors (IWM), has secured a £5.5 million grant from the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) for a collaborative research and development project. The funding was announced by Sarah Jones, Minister of State at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Department for Business and Trade, during a visit to Protean’s headquarters in Farnham.
“Labour is committed to boosting the jewel in the crown of our manufacturing base – the automotive industry,” said Minister Sarah Jones. “This fund will drive innovation and propel the development of next generation zero emission vehicle technologies.”
The project, named Pulse (power electronics upscale for localisation and sustainable electrification), will be led by Protean and aims to advance IWM technology. In collaboration with Unipart Manufacturing and other consortium members, the project will establish a pilot production line for power electronics systems used in IWMs and other net-zero products.
“We are thrilled that project Pulse has been selected by the APC and the new Government,” said Andrew Whitehead, CEO of Protean Electric, “As it supports Protean to continue to lead electric vehicle innovation from our UK development centre.”
The Pulse consortium includes other UK-based partners such as Viritech, Transense, Hypromag, Coventry University, and Warwick Manufacturing Group. Together, they aim to improve efficiency and sustainability in electric vehicle technology through advanced manufacturing and research.
