UK electric propulsion specialist EMPEL Systems has secured support through the DRIVE35 Scale-up Fund for EMPOWER, a major manufacturing scale-up project that will increase the company’s vertically integrated production capability for electric motors and power electronics in the UK.
The project, EMPOWER – Vertically Integrated Scale-up of Electric Modules and Power Electronics Manufacturing, will support the next stage in the industrialisation of EMPEL’s electric drive technology through capital investment in advanced manufacturing equipment and processes.
EMPEL has already established UK production capability of 40,000 UPA for its electric machines and developed a scalable eModule platform combining high-performance electric motors with integrated power electronics. EMPOWER will build on this foundation by increasing the proportion of critical motor and inverter manufacturing processes undertaken in-house, including the development of scalable UK manufacturing capability for advanced power electronics.
The investment will enable EMPEL to increase manufacturing control as it moves towards higher-volume production, supporting the cost, quality and production requirements of future OEM programmes. Greater vertical integration will also reduce reliance on external supply chains while retaining valuable intellectual property, technical knowledge and manufacturing expertise within the UK.
Jason King, Director of EMPEL Systems, said: “EMPOWER represents an important next step in EMPEL’s growth as a UK manufacturer. We have already established production capability for our electric machines and developed an integrated motor and inverter platform that is gaining traction with customers internationally.
“DRIVE35 enables us to build on that foundation through targeted capital investment in the manufacturing technologies we need for the next stage of growth. It means we can industrialise more of our technology here in the UK, compete internationally on both performance and cost, and build the capability needed to support higher-volume customer programmes.
“Greater vertical integration is particularly important as we scale. It gives us greater control over quality, cost and the manufacturing processes behind our technology, while helping us retain the knowledge and intellectual property we have developed in the UK.”
EMPEL develops customer-specific electric propulsion systems for demanding applications, bringing together electric machines, power electronics and system integration. Its scalable eModule technology provides a platform from which solutions can be engineered around individual customer and application requirements.
The EMPOWER project forms part of the latest government announcement of nearly £130 million of industry-matched investment in zero-emission vehicles and connected and automated mobility technologies across the UK. The wider investment is expected to help secure more than 1,800 high-value manufacturing jobs.
Ian Constance, Chief Executive at the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK, said: “The projects announced today demonstrate the depth of innovation and engineering excellence that exists across the UK automotive sector. Through DRIVE35, we are supporting businesses to move promising technologies to commercial deployment and manufacturing at scale.
“This investment is about far more than individual projects. It is about strengthening the UK’s capability to design, develop and build the technologies that will define the vehicles of the future. By bringing together industry, government and academia, DRIVE35 is helping create the conditions for long-term growth, increasing investor confidence and reinforcing the UK’s position as one of the world’s leading destinations for automotive innovation.”
The DRIVE35 award supports EMPEL’s progression from established low-volume production towards scalable, cost-competitive manufacture, creating the manufacturing capability required to support future production programmes in the UK and internationally.
For more information www.empelsystems.com
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