Developing a low-carbon powertrain for the automotive, rail, aerospace, and military sectors is a large step towards reducing emissions and the reliance on fossil fuels. This consorium of UK engineering companies is using the Technology Strategy Board's Motorsport Valley Launchpad to develop a complete powertrain package for 21st Century transport.

They are developing a matched 'power source-control system-motor' package to deliver high-energy, ultra efficient, power for peak loads and incorporating energy regeneration. The team will analyse every component along the whole powertrain from source to drive and minimise every cause of energy loss. Matched to a novel high-performance electric motor the consortium envisages a powertrain package with efficiencies far higher than ever seen before, suitable for the smallest car through to huge earth-moving machines.

To demonstrate the solution the team have turned to drag racing as the motorsport discipline with the most extreme power demand. The aim is to produce a high efficiency electric drivetrain for adoption by mainstream vehicle manufacturers which can be readily adapted to application-specific use across other transport and industrial sectors. The inherent efficiencies within the system, and its cost effective mass production, will challenge all known and existing electric drive systems.