The University of Bath has revealed it has chosen AVL to supply equipment for its new £70m (US$91m) automotive propulsion research facility – the Institute for Advanced Automotive Propulsion Systems (IAAPS).
This agreement will enable the educational institution and the Austrian-based company to provide the state-of-the-art research facilities, allowing for technological insights into the future of ultra-low and zero-emission vehicles.
This will include fully-electric propulsion, hybrid configurations, energy storage and battery management as well as next-generation fuels and high-efficiency combustion engines. The new equipment will allow current research areas to be strengthened and new areas to be opened with a specific focus on whole vehicle assessments, specifically under real-world driving conditions.
Located at the Bristol and Bath Science Park in the Southwest of England, the site is expected to open in 2020. As part of the agreement, teams at both Bath and AVL will enter a partnership to further advance knowledge in integrated simulation environments.
Gavin Edwards, IAAPS program director, said, “IAAPS, and our new collaboration with AVL, will significantly expand our capacity to devise innovative solutions that address key real-world challenges such as engine downsizing, more cost effective electric motors, better simulation tools, improved fuel consumption and lower vehicle emissions.”