9 October 2023, Gaydon, UK: Aston Martin’s high-performance electrification strategy has been awarded £9million of government funding through the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC), further supplementing the research and development of Aston Martin’s innovative modular battery electric vehicle (BEV) platform.
Awarded following a competitive process, the government grant will support the development of Aston Martin’s luxury BEV platform and enable a route to net-zero, including investment in vehicle light weighting, a digital toolchain and electrification training.
Today’s funding announcement is another positive step in Aston Martin’s electrification programme, which forms a pillar of the company’s wider Racing. Green. sustainability strategy. The innovative British ultra-luxury manufacturer is making a £2billion commitment to advanced technologies over the next five years, with its investment phasing from internal combustion engine (ICE) to BEV technology.
Project ELEVATION, a six-partner collaborative research and development project led by Aston Martin, is supported by the Manufacturing Technology Centre, Expert Tooling & Automation, Creative Composites, Fuzzy Logic Studio and WMG, University of Warwick. The project will address the technical challenges of developing a lightweight, 800V traction battery pack and twin front electric drive unit (EDU) into a modular BEV platform with a bandwidth from supercar to SUV.
Roberto Fedeli, Group Chief Technology Officer of Aston Martin, said: “The award of funding from the APC is another major boost to our electrification strategy and constant strive for innovation. Providing further resources to explore the possibilities of our bespoke BEV platform, it will help achieve our ambition to be an in-house BEV technology leader in the ultra-luxury, high-performance segment. We look forward to progressing this project with our collaborative partners and thank the APC for their incredible support.”
Ian Constance, APC Chief Executive, said: “The 23rd round of our collaborative R&D competition coincides with the APC’s 10th anniversary. We’ve seen over £1.4 billion of investment into automotive projects since the APC was set up, and I am proud of the impact that we have made here in the UK. This latest announcement includes a diverse set of OEMs and suppliers that demonstrate the strength of UK automotive. They will further add to our portfolio of innovative projects and continue to drive the UK to deliver on its net zero ambition.”
Aston Martin is developing alternatives to the ICE with the first all-electric Aston Martin targetted for launch in 2025. In 2024 the company will deliver its first plug-in hybrid – the mid-engined supercar, Valhalla. By 2026 all new Aston Martin model lines will feature an electrified powertrain option, with the long-term objective for its core range to be fully electrified by 2030.
