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New Automotive Council UK roadmaps 2024 signal diversity on the path to zero-emission vehicles

25 Sep 2024

The emerging industry trends and technical innovations needed to deliver ambitious plans for zero-emission vehicles were revealed today with the launch of the Automotive Council UK roadmaps 2024. Produced by the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC), on behalf of the Automotive Council UK, the roadmaps draw on the expertise of 230 organisations from vehicle manufacturers and technology suppliers to consultants, academics, and government.

“Representing the consensus view of key stakeholders these essential strategic documents are developed and updated when new data or opportunities emerge,” explains Dr Hadi Moztarzadeh, Head of Technology Trends at the APC.

“A key driver for recent change is the integration of green energy sources into mass transit solutions and logistical fleet operations. Smart energy innovations, policy and legislation in suburban areas are enabling all transport solutions worldwide to transition to more sustainable modes of mobility to ensure a sustainable and net-zero transport ecosystem.

For 2024, collectively we identified the need to introduce two system-level roadmaps, the Mobility of People (MoP) and the Mobility of Goods (MoG), to provide a holistic view of the role of automotive products In the broader transport ecosystem and support strategic decision making across these extremely important and interconnected sectors.” 

Julian Hetherington, Automotive Transformation Director, APC said:

“The Automotive Council UK roadmaps 2024, developed and updated by the APC on behalf of the industry provide valuable information and guidance to the automotive sector, not only in the UK, but also across the global automotive supply chain.

A culmination of years of collaboration, they are an essential tool in identifying the pathways to a net-zero future, highlighting key milestones that present both the opportunities available and challenges that must be overcome.

As we stand on the cusp of a new era in the automotive industry, the importance of strategic foresight has never been greater. These roadmaps provide a vision that places the automotive sector at the heart of the global transition towards net zero.”

Key highlights of the reports include:

  • Building supply chain resilience across the value chain for automotive strategic technologies and powertrain solutions
  • Reduce reliance on rare-earth elements and critical materials through a focus on circularity, and on-shoring high-value extraction and manufacturing for advanced zero-emission powertrain solutions
  • Building accessibility and affordability into zero-emission vehicles design with a focus on total cost of ownership and use case
  • Optimisation of vehicle efficiency, and performance, e.g. battery performance
  • Improved connectivity across different transport modes, new business models and underpinning infrastructure
  • Technology-holistic approach to support transitional solutions for specific vehicle applications.

Mr Hetherington continued: “Central to our vision is the transition towards a net zero future. The roadmaps highlight key areas such as electrification, digitalisation, and advanced manufacturing, while highlighting the critical challenges of supply chain resilience, and regulatory alignment across automotive and broader transport sector as well as the energy sector in an increasingly interconnected world.

We are delighted to launch these roadmaps and look forward to working with all stakeholders across industry, academia, R&D, and the innovation ecosystem as well as funding, policy, and trade bodies.”

APC has pinpointed four cross-cutting themes or macro-level drivers that influence all aspects of our technology roadmaps. The themes identified are multifaceted, ranging from global to local scale.

These themes interact with each other and with the technology roadmaps – expediting the advancement of certain technologies, while simultaneously necessitating change in others. The four pivotal drivers that are reshaping the landscape of technology and innovation are:

1 Policy and regulation: Examining the influence of legislative frameworks on technological progress.

2 Energy and infrastructure: Assessing the role of energy availability and infrastructural support in driving innovation.

3 Manufacturing: Understanding the impact of manufacturing capabilities and constraints on technology development.

4 Digitalisation: Exploring the transformative power of digital technologies across our sector

APC invites you to explore these roadmaps, to reflect on the opportunities they present, and to join us in shaping a future that is as dynamic as it is sustainable. Launching today are eight roadmaps covering the entire automotive supply chain. They are:

Two system roadmaps:

Mobility of People (MoP)

Mobility of Goods (MoG)

Six technology roadmaps:

Hydrogen Fuel Cell and Storage (H2 FC and Storage)

Internal Combustion Engines (ICE)

Lightweight Vehicle and Powertrain Structures (LW)

Power Electronics (PE)

Electric Machines (EM)

Electrical Energy Storage (EES)

Visit: https://www.apcuk.co.uk/knowledge-base/media-type/roadmaps/

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