Government funding of £9m (US$11.1m) will support Aston Martin’s R&D for its modular battery electric vehicle platform. Awarded through the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC), this cash injection is an important milestone on Aston Martin’s electrification journey. The process was said to have been competitive.
It forms part of the automotive manufacturer’s wider sustainability strategy badged ‘Racing. Green’. Aston Martin has pledged to spend £2bn (US$2.4bn) on electrification technologies over the next five years, which will see it phase out the ICE.
Project Elevation, an R&D project led by Aston Martin, is supported by the Manufacturing Technology Centre, Expert Tooling & Automation, Creative Composites, Fuzzy Logic Studio and WMG, University of Warwick. The initiative will address the technical challenges of developing a lightweight, 800V traction battery pack and twin front electric drive unit into a modular BEV platform with a bandwidth from supercar to SUV.
Roberto Fedeli, group chief technology officer at Aston Martin, said, “The award of funding from the APC is another major boost to our electrification strategy and constant strive for innovation. Providing further resources to explore the possibilities of our bespoke BEV platform, it will help achieve our ambition to be an in-house BEV technology leader in the ultra-luxury, high-performance segment. We look forward to progressing this project with our collaborative partners and thank the APC for their incredible support.”
APC chief executive Ian Constance commented, “The 23rd round of our collaborative R&D competition coincides with the APC’s 10th anniversary. We’ve seen over £1.4bn (US$1.7bn) of investment into automotive projects since the APC was set up, and I am proud of the impact that we have made here in the UK. This latest announcement includes a diverse set of OEMs and suppliers that demonstrate the strength of UK automotive. They will further add to our portfolio of innovative projects and continue to drive the UK to deliver on its net zero ambition.”
The first all-electric vehicle from the British marque is scheduled for launch in 2025. In 2024 the company will deliver its first plug-in hybrid, the Valhalla. By 2026 all new Aston Martin model lines will feature an electrified powertrain option, with the long-term objective for its core range to be fully electrified by 2030.
