Public Funding for Magnetic Systems Technology Limited

Magtec is a leading UK designer and manufacturer of drive systems and vehicles for commercial EV's and has successfully delivered numerous innovation programmes. Its team, operating at the purpose-built manufacturing/innovation facility in Rotherham, will develop a next generation electric propulsion system for medium duty trucks. The project will involve deep investigations in power efficiency and range performance when applied to larger commercial vehicles. Both the Royal Mail and NHS-Wales will work with the Magtec team to ensure the engineering and research teams optimise vehicle performance, operating dedicated prototypes of Magtec's existing MEV190's with the results being used to benchmark enhancements.

Magtec manufactures high performance, high-value motors for electric vehicle (EV) heavy traction applications. A key step in motor production is magnetisation of permanent magnets. While many magnets are produced from non-renewable rare earth element (REE) metals, their environmental impact is offset by their ability to be infinitely recycled. This project looks to investigate the feasibility of re-using Magtec's own, old permanent magnet motors, to break into and exploit the REE circular economy. Our technology gap lies in the demagnetisation of magnets, measuring and identifying magnets and motor condition, in order for us to disassemble, repurpose, and remagnetise our magnets for reuse. The Hirst team are industrial experts in magnetic instrumentation and manufacturing bespoke magnetising and demagnetising fixtures for all current motor topologies, including Interior Permanent Magnet (IPM), Surface Permanent Magnet (SPM), and Axial flux designs. Through a collaborative partnership between Magtec and Hirst, this project aims to study the feasibility of demagnetising Magtec's old motors for repurpose using technical know-how and capability developed from Hirst, and open opportunities in the circular economy of REE supply chain nucleating from downstream.

Magtec's SuRV project will support the rapid industrialisation of power controller production to meet planned exponential growth in vehicle and powertrain systems. The project will incorporate significant automation and innovation in supply chain development. Magtec is the UK's leading independent supplier of BEV commercial vehicle drive systems, particularly for niche applications. The project will support Magtec in unlocking additional funding and growth to expand its Yorkshire based operations.

This project will support the development of a unique tool for fleet decision makers looking to understand the journey towards electrification with HGVs. Magtec, the UK's leading commercial electric vehicle integrator will lead the project and partner with two subcontractor organisations. Dynamon is a world leading data-science business with expertise in transforming current vehicle operating performance into models to predict efficiencies and operating costs. UK Power Networks are a leading provider of innovative smart infrastructure to optimise vehicle charging solutions. Two partner organisations Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation and AF Blakemore will be active trial partners, replacing several their current diesel vehicles with Magtec supplied equivalents to build scientific data for comparison. The ambition is to develop a solution to allow for rapid charge capability in public and private sector logistics operations and provide granular data, in an easy to access format, for detailed understanding of the total cost of ownership when adopting E-HGV's.

The ULTRA project targets next-generation battery improvement at the cell level with the development, scale-up and commercialisation of AMTE Power's innovative power-dense Ultra-High Power (UHP) and energy-dense Ultra Energy (UE) cells to pre-production variants, using precision metals expertise (Avocet) and efficiency focussed commercial BEV (Magtec) platforms, with the charger technology (Petalite) required to ensure they can all be fast-charged. * Avocet Precision Metals will supply the metallic raw materials for the UHP and UE cells, and their participation will allow them to progress from a distributor of precision metals to a UK based manufacturer * Magtec will design and integrate new battery packs and management systems, utilising the UE cells * Petalite's patented Ultra SDC charger for BEVs has the potential to address market trends and needs for shorter charge time (higher power charge), improved modularity and lower lifetime cost, and will allow for the fast charging of all four vehicles considered by Magtec. The SCOPE of the project remains as the above on a general project level. However, Avocet has requested the removal of a work package as it no longer aligns with their business plan, is not integral to the project as it was an early feasibility study and does not affect any of the partners deliverables.

This collaborative R&D project will demonstrate the development of production technologies for traction motor production. This will enable production scale-up of motors produced by Magnetic Systems Technology (Magtec), a leading UK supplier servicing the commercial vehicles market. Magtec's electrification solution can be fitted as original equipment or as a retrofit/repower solution for fleets of commercial vehicles (buses/trucks etc.). The project will directly address both issues by providing the electric alternatives to diesel power solutions, at required volumes, with demonstrable operational reliability. The project accelerates innovative production technologies at Magtec, with the motor manufacturing pilot line being the focus area. The forecast for growth (post project completion) represents an order of magnitude increase in production demand over the following 5 years. This is driving the need to accelerate the development and delivery of innovative and bespoke manufacturing processes and assembly methods. The project consortia led by Magtec includes four leading transport sector OEM's - Dennis Eagle, Paneltex, Volta Trucks and Angel Trains. These partners will support the definition of requirements and verification of the solutions developed within this project, ensuring the manufacturing processes and approach, are repeatable and robust, and therefore delivering reliable products to their respective markets. It includes two High Value Manufacturing Catapults -- the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) and the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) at the University of Sheffield, whose expertise will be focused on utilising the most innovative manufacturing process and assembly methods development activities. This will cover the integration of data and information systems and embedded quality assurance methods, to ensure robustness and repeatability throughout. Magtec sources most of its components and materials from the UK, with a large proportion of these within a short distance from its Sheffield assembly facility. The project will become a catalyst to reduce risk in the supply-chain proposition by developing deep relationships, predominantly in the region, to maximise the UK value-added content accordingly. Forecast supply and production requirements have created supply-chain resilience challenges, which shall be addressed through the project. Skills development within all partners and the wider supply-chain will be core, as partners move towards electrified propulsion systems at a vehicle level, and automated/semi-automated processes within the value stream.

Awaiting Public Project Summary

no public description

"The REETR \[Range Extender Electric Truck Research\] project sets out to research and develop Range Extender Electric Truck technology based on the highly successful 19 Tonne \[GVW\] DAF LF chassis. The project is a collaboration between the last UK volume truck manufacturer, Leyland trucks and MAGTEC the UK leading Electric Vehicle drive system manufacturer. Leyland Trucks is part of the PACCAR Inc. Corporation which is one of the world's major manufacturers of heavy trucks, through its DAF, Kenworth and Peterbilt brands. Increased Air Quality concerns are driving the requirement for the development of new cost effective zero tailpipe emissions technologies, which in the medium term is increasing the level of vehicle electrification. On heavier vehicles, such as trucks, the challenge of reduced energy density of batteries compared to today's diesel technology means that the vehicle driving range / payload and product cost can be compromised. So the Range Extender Electric Vehicle technology delivers the optimum solution of zero tailpipe emissions in the centre of town and city then the range extender feature will allow it to operate from ""out of town"" distribution centres The project sets out to deliver between 160km and 200km electric only driving and with the IC engine operating this range would approximately double without refuelling. It is planned to deliver a cost effective package of technology which is energy efficient to maximise the electric range on the minimum amount of battery storage. This will be achieved by the development of a new overall system controller, component design and regeneration control."

This project will trial 4 RCV vehicles in 2 different UK locations. All vehicles will be repowered with a full electric driveline supplied by Magtec. This drivetrain will be a lightweight version of the one used in the previous low carbon truck trial and almost half a tonne of weight will be saved which will mean that the vehicle is more efficient and will not need any special derogation to achieve full payload. Innovative business models to allow mass exploitation will be developed.

This project demonstrates that a full size 26 T Refuse Collection Vehicle can be converted from diesel to all electric power. The repowered vehicle will be capable of working a two shift daily duty cycle without recharging. The project will demonstrate the benefits of zero emissions and reduced noise, while also extending the asset life of the used vehicle, which was first registered in 2009. The repowering will be undertaken by Magnetic Systems Technology Ltd of Sheffield (MagTec). The Refuse Collection Vehicle is owned and operated by the Royal Borough of Greenwich. Testing of the vehicle's performance and energy efficiency before and after conversion will be undertaken by a suitable test facility.

This project will develop a new, flexible, modular design architecture for buses which will enable a new generation of ultra-low emission vehicles to be developed. These new buses will include pure electric vehicles (EV's) and range-extended electric vehicles (REEV's) which must compete on both operational and commercial terms with conventional diesel vehicles. A critical part of the design specification, therefore, will be for the life-cycle cost of vehicle operations to be superior to that of modern diesel buses. In addition to the proposed vehicle design and technology development activities, the programme will include the development of an innovative approach to business and finance which is designed to make the ownership/operation of EV buses more attractive.

This project will develop a zero-emissions bus based on Magtec's innovative EV powertrain adapted from military applications, range extended with Arcola Energy's low power and low cost hydrogen fuel cell system adapted from lightweight passenger vehicles. Using this combination will provide a route for operators and bus OEMs to a bus with zero particulates and NOx emissions and dramatically reduced CO2 emissions even on current generation methods for electricity and hydrogen, at a fraction of the cost of the current generation of hydrogen buses. Innovations include the overall system and energy storage optimisation and control, lightweighting, power electronics integration, lifetime extension of the fuel cell in the challenging city environment and hydrogen safety.

The project is setting out to develop a zero emission lightweight electric compact mini sweeping machine for municipal and contractor use in town and shopping centre environments, delivering an industry wide step change in the efficiency, particulate and noise emissions of this type of machine. The key project objectives include; 1) Lightweighting of the vehicle structure and associated components replacing steel with recyclable plastics 2) The design and integration of an innovative electric motor, battery pack and charging system 3) Development and improvement of the sweeping efficiency of the turbine vaccuum system 4) The build of a prototype vehicle to demonstrate and validate the concept The combined effect of the project will mean significantly enhanced vehicle efficiency, reduced emissions, reduced running costs and lower environmental impact from the provision of these essential public services.

Awaiting Public Summary