Public Funding for Grayson Automotive Services Limited

Delivered by a **consortium spanning OEM, supply chain, operator and academia**, the Developing Next-Generation Common-Platform Fuel-Cell and Battery-Electric Multi-Axle Buses, or **"NextGenZEB" project aims to develop a new world leading, commercially competitive solution for zero-emission tri-axle and articulated bus vehicle configurations**. The project will leverage emerging technologies in global supply chain risk management, multiscale modelling and digital twinning to produce **'best in class' lightweight, modular and efficient solutions suitable for both battery electric and fuel cell configurations**. Most critically, through the **adoption of a common-platform approach, vehicle development timelines will be reduced lowering total cost of ownership and securing UK market leadership in the sector**. These ambitious goals will be achieved by * Delivering innovative approaches to the production of **lightweight, modular and efficient multi-axle vehicle platforms suitable for both battery electric and fuel cell electric configurations**. The consortium brings together a collaboration across the supply chain to provide a unique multi-faceted insight into the market requirements, development process and vehicle in-service evaluation; * **Investigate the impact of external factors on the UK bus industry, and to develop new methods for quantifying global supply chain risks.** With increasing global uncertainty and rising material costs, the project will deliver new understanding of the sensitivities of the bus sector to external market variations, and identify new business approaches to increase resilience of the UK supply chains. * **Develop a novel 'digital twin' capability to enhance development and in-service vehicle performance optimization.** With increasing access to in-service data through telematics and opportunities to understand how real-time data can be used to underpin decision making. By replacing incumbent diesel & hybrid vehicles, projected sales to 2034 would see **6.8 million tonnes of CO2 and 2,710-million litres of diesel mitigated globally**. Through the high value engineering activity across the entirety of the supply chain, this project has the potential to see **long-term benefits after project completion with up to 420 jobs** projected to be created and safeguarded in addition to up to **1114 individuals upskilled**.

This project will deliver an efficient and production-ready Fuel Cell/Battery Hybrid (FCEV) powertrain. The consortium will undertake R&D and productization of the full vehicle powertrain, covering engineering, testing and development. Technical challenges addressed include integrating mature electric powertrain components, largely from the UK supply chain, into a production-ready powertrain for the HGV market. This innovative project will result in a fully functional integrated FCEV powertrain for the UK's first indigenous hydrogen-powered HGV and will contribute to the UK's ambition to decarbonise the HGV sector as described in the UK's Hydrogen Strategy.

NextGen Fuel-Cell Electric Buses to Accelerate a Low-Carbon Hydrogen Economy or "NextGenFCEV" aims to develop world leading, in terms of TCO and efficiency, single and double deck fuel cell electric buses for the UK marketplace and export. This project addresses the aim of the competition in accelerating the development of a zero-tailpipe emission fuel-cell electric bus. By replacing incumbent diesel vehicles, projected global FCEV sales will mitigate 15.6-million tonnes of CO2 and 5,744-million litres of diesel by 2031/32\. 51 R&D and 2,335 production jobs (including apprentices) will be created. 1,035 R&D and manufacturing jobs will be safeguarded. The project has there specific themes: 1\.**Development of next-generation hydrogen fuel-cell electric buses** that are cost effective, lightweight and modular, to accommodate UK and export markets. After pioneering the world's first double-deck hydrogen fuel-cell bus, Wrightbus will collaborate efforts to explore optimal propulsion, energy storage and thermal management configurations with Grayson Thermal Systems(GTS) and Queen's University Belfast. Operator input via Translink will guide overall design, performance, market requirements and conduct field trials. 2\.**Strengthening UK based assembly and manufacturing capabilities to produce zero-emission technologies at scale.** Modular architectures (not common in the bus industry)will enable higher volume production and lower the cost of goods to the consumer. With guidance from Ryse Hydrogen, installation of on-site hydrogen re-fuelling and charging infrastructure will further reduce development and testing timescales. Close collaboration with GTS will add resilience to UK supply chains and encourage UK OEMs, such as JCB, to develop advanced hydrogen storage solutions. 3\.**Introduce a 'Hydrogen Centre of Excellence' to support upskilling and knowledge sharing in the UK.** The centre will build upon strong academic links between Wrightbus and QUB to provide training and education of all aspects of the hydrogen economy, share best practice, and generate new sources of revenue. Feasibility studies in to pathways for low-cost, low-carbon hydrogen fuel production in the UK will be undertaken. Further innovation and collaborative research will be possible with technology transfer to coach, truck and off-highway applications. Ryse Hydrogen will also use the centre to conduct a study into lowering product costs of Green Hydrogen in the UK in partnership with QUB.

Grayson Thermal Systems are developing the very latest Vehicle Thermal Management Systems for industrial on / off highway vehicles. The vehicle thermal management system will be developed to meet the market requirements from specialist mining and refuse vehicles through to large Double Decker buses and rail applications. By harvesting waste heat from the vehicle driveline components, we will be using this to pre charge the coolant / air mediums directly into the vehicle HVAC system, allowing our heat pump technology to offer advanced heating in colder ambient temperatures, in the most efficient way. This means that more of the stored energy can be used to power the vehicle traction system, rather than mileage range being reduced to heat passengers and drivers of the vehicles. Our fully integrated VTMS will mean vehicle integrators can combine equipment and people temperature conditioning in one single unit, reducing system size, weight and fully installed cost. The efficiency of the system will increase vehicle range, due to the efficiency of combining two systems and utilising waste heat currently omitted to the environment. The project combines several cooperative partners in the UK, and will result in UK manufacture of systems at our Birmingham facility, whilst supporting the development of electric buses by UK vehicle manufacturers. It will develop technology and no how, create jobs in UK manufacturing and deliver environmental benefits, with a reduction of CO2 as electric replaces diesel vehicles.