Warwick University given £1m towards electric car research

The programme will include industry workshops, outreach activity in school and increased teaching provision within the key technologies, the university said

Up to £1m has been awarded to the University of Warwick towards research and development around electric vehicles.

The money will be used to launch a new programme called the Warwick Electrification Deployment (WELD).

The project will help meet a national and international skills shortage within the technologies behind electrical energy, the university said.

Professor Peter Gammon said they were "proud" to be leading the programme.

The new initiative funded by Innovate UK will include industry workshops, outreach activity in school and increased teaching provision within the key technologies - power electronics, machines and drives (PEMD).

Parts manufacture, assembly and testing will also be able to take place on campus to allow for hands-on learning, the university said.

The trained workforce will help businesses develop new PEMD technologies and manufacturing processes.

Dr Juliette Soulard, associate professor at the university's Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), said: "Through our close collaboration with UK industry, we witness the huge difficulties faced when trying to recruit people with the right skills for PEMD research and development projects.

"The expertise exists in the UK, but the knowledge and skills transfer needs dedicated and urgent actions which normal higher education courses cannot deliver.

"WELD's industry workshops with unique, hands-on learning about manufacturing and device testing aims to address this issue."

The project will "increase the flow" of engineering graduates into the industry and the university's extensive outreach programme will help inspire the next generation of engineers", Mr Gammon, professor of power electronic devices, head of research and deputy head of the school of engineering, added.