eTOCA is an accelerated research and development program to produce an all UK commercially viable electric powertain and battery safety system. A consortium of UK SME's have formed to build on previous experience and develop the worlds first all electric competitive race car, the vehicle will compete directly against its internal combustion engine couterparts in the UK's premier racing series. Motorsport is the ultimate R&D platform for the test and development of new technologies, the competitive nature and fixed schedules push performance and robustness on a regular basis . This project will reinforce the UK's position as the world leader in the motorsport sector and products/systems will be developed to have a direct impact on reducing carbon emmissions in the mainstream automotive sector, along with other opportunities for growth in the energy supply chain, electric drive systems, high power electric integration and safety.

Energy capture through re-gen braking reduces the duty on a conventional friction brake system. However the ultimate energy storage capacity, weight & residual drag of the friction brake systems have remained unchanged. This is because emergency duty cycles (e.g. ABS) require independent control of the tyre contact patch. A single electric machine (EM) per axle mechanically couples both wheels and cannot offer the level of control required. Consequently significant friction brake downsizing or integration has not been realised to date. That said, multiple independent EMs (1 per corner) do offer the opportunity for integration with the friction brake. This consortium aims to integrate the brake and propulsion systems together into “Integrated Torque Actuator Modules” (ITAMs). It is anticipated these modules would be smaller, lighter and lower cost, yet realise significant vehicle attribute enhancements. The consortium will design, develop and prototype the ITAMs and establish whether they are capable of; 1. All duty cycles including ABS and dynamic stability control (DSC), 2. Zero residual drag torque, 3. Brake emissions capture and storage. 4. zero servicing.

REEVolution is an accelerated development and integration programme of new technologies, from concept through to validated components and systems intended to produce robust technology demonstrator vehicles. The aim has been to deliver high performance Range Extended Electric Vehicles (REEV) and Plug-in Hybrids Electric Vehicles (PHEV). Delivering 70-75% CO2 reductions through implementation of advanced technologies into three very different best in class premium vehicle applications, building on and using the skills of all the collaborative partners. The project has successfully developed key UK technology suppliers with novel Ultra Low Carbon (ULC) technologies towards tier 1 capability by working with three major UK vehicle manufacturers. The goal has been to lay the foundations for a robust and globally competitive UK supply base by drawing on the product development processes of the vehicle manufacturers. The REEVolution consortium, led by Jaguar Land Rover and consists of three suppliers: Axeon Technologies Ltd, EVO Electric Ltd and Xtrac Limited; and three vehicle manufacturers: Jaguar Cars, Lotus Cars and Infiniti along with Lotus Engineering. This acceleration development was made possible by the UK Government through the mechanism of the Technology Strategy Board.

The FHSPV (Flywheel Hybrid System for Premium Vehicles) project which bought together some of the UK’s most respected names in automotive engineering under the TSB umbrella has concluded its work to determine the viability of flywheel hybrids as a cost-effective and modular solution for production vehicle applications. The consortium, comprising Jaguar Land Rover, Flybrid Systems, Ford, engineering consultancies Prodrive and Ricardo, and transmission experts Torotrak and Xtrac investigated the benefits of flywheel hybrids in a number of applications. Compared to conventional electric hybrid systems, mechanical flywheel hybrids reduce the number of inefficient conversions during the recovery and re-use of braking energy. Instead of converting kinetic energy into electricity, energy is stored in a high-speed flywheel with power transfer controlled by a compact continuously variable transmission (CVT). The Jaguar XF premium saloon used as the research vehicle has the flywheel hybrid system integrated into the rear axle, occupying part of the space normally used by the spare wheel. Following conclusion of the programme the consortium has made the following statements with respect to outcomes: • The development vehicle has demonstrated that this technology can deliver significant CO2 reductions in real world conditions, building on established stop-start gains • In the industry-standard NEDC cycle, the flywheel hybrid and stop-start combined achieved an 11.9% percent benefit, a 6.4% improvement over start-stop alone. • In the new ARTEMIS test cycle, which represents typical real-world usage, the flywheel hybrid system yields an 11% improvement over stop-start only. • The system can be realised at significantly lower cost and weight than a typical HEV application. This is a positive outcome for an early development system. Further refinements and related optimisation of other vehicle systems are expected to yield additional gains.