This year’s Low Carbon Vehicle Show (LCV), the industry’s key event which was held 22nd and 23rd of September at Millbrook Proving Ground in Milton Keynes, was widely hailed a success as automotive stakeholders came together at the first large-scale in-person gathering in two years post Covid-19. IAAPS joined key industry leaders and innovators to discuss the future of mobility, automotive engineering and the transition to clean and sustainable transport.
The show was well attended and busy throughout the two days, with around 4000 delegates exploring the latest innovations and developments around mass adoption of electric vehicles, smart charging, alternative fuels, autonomous driving and more. Trudy Harrison MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Transport, opened the event with an inaugural keynote speech which stressed the important role the industry plays ahead of COP26 and in developing a world leading electric vehicle infrastructure in the UK which is set to create thousands of jobs over the next decade.
IAAPS occupied stand C-110 in Hall 3, which attracted an influx of visitors, existing and prospective partners, clients and collaborators who were keen to explore our expertise and research areas as well as the technical capabilities in the new facility, which is nearing the end of construction and is set to open at the Bristol & Bath Science Park in 2022.
To give an immersive experience into the new facility, the IAAPS team was joined by engineers from AVL, which is supplying the specialist equipment to the new site, who provided a detailed Virtual Reality tour of the 11 000 sqm building and its state-of-the-art test cells. Delegates who perused the VR tour commented on the impressive scope and scale of the R&I centre, which will cover a wide range of competencies and specialisms in propulsion research.
Furthermore, students from the AAPS Centre of Doctoral Training also had a presence on the IAAPS stand and gave a first-hand account of the groundbreaking study areas and the industry-leading transdisciplinary programme it offers to nurture the next generation of automotive innovators.
“Events such as LCV are a vital platform to connect our students with the wider industry and to raise awareness of the Centre for Doctoral Training. Industry collaboration is at the heart of our centre, and we have been thrilled with the interest the show has generated in our work. Equally, our students have benefited greatly from exposure to such a high calibre of companies and pioneers in this sector”, said Yvonne Ascott, Centre Manager, CDT.
This sentiment was echoed by Professor Chris Brace, Academic Director for IAAPS: “It is evident that we are at a pivotal point in the transition to net zero and that as an industry we urgently need to step up our efforts to develop low carbon transport solutions if we are to meet the challenge of reaching zero emissions targets. Success has to include the necessity to achieve this hugely challenging goal through affordable and practical technologies that are applicable in all markets. This will require a systemic approach, bringing together expertise spanning a wide range of disciplines. IAAPS is committed to collaboration across industry, academia, SMEs and many other innovators, and in this respect, this year’s LCV was very successful. It was great to re-connect in person with our existing partners as well as new prospective collaborators. Many exciting R&I opportunities were discussed and we look forward to developing these projects together and bringing them to fruition,” he said.
23 September 2021