Trelleborg takes part in UK ‘zero emission’ vehicle project

Trelleborg, Sweden – Trelleborg’s applied technologies operation is set to launch a research and development project focused on electric vehicle (EV) battery materials and design, as part of a collaboration with engineering research company Far-UK Ltd, Great British Sportscars Ltd and Engenuity Ltd.

The early-stage R&D stream initiative, funded by the UK Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV), provides a platform for collaborative research in the area of zero emission vehicle technologies within the UK niche vehicle sector.

The focus of the project is to develop a novel material as an alternative to aluminum, that can be integrated into an EV battery to reduce the overall weight of the battery case, said Trelleborg in a 26 July statement.

The project is intended to support the decarbonisation of vehicles on the road and reducing emissions through light weighting. 

“We are actively developing new materials within the EV sector, and we know that collaboration is key to understanding industry challenges and speeding up the development process,” said Neil O’Keeffe, technical director, Trelleborg’s applied technologies operation in Rochdale, UK. 

Electric vehicle production, according to O’Keeffe, is “a critical emerging market” for Trelleborg, and the Swedish group is keen to support the progression to electrification. 

According Richard Hall, director of Great British Sportscars the end goal of the project is to build a “working proof-of-concept” within a vehicle.

“There is a synergy in our outlook, with this project providing a great basis for knowledge-sharing and collaboration,” he said.

 The R&D project is for a six-month period, with findings and results to be published during 2022.