UK electric propulsion specialist EMPEL Systems is set to expand its vertically integrated manufacturing capability after securing support through the DRIVE35 Scale-up Fund for a major production project.
The EMPOWER project – Vertically Integrated Scale-up of Electric Modules and Power Electronics Manufacturing – will fund advanced manufacturing equipment and processes as EMPEL moves from established low-volume production towards higher-volume manufacture of electric motors and power electronics.
EMPEL has already established UK production capability of 40,000 units per annum (UPA) for its electric machines and developed a scalable eModule platform integrating high-performance electric motors with power electronics. The new investment will increase the proportion of critical motor and inverter manufacturing processes completed in-house, including the development of scalable UK production capability for advanced power electronics.
Greater vertical integration is intended to provide increased control over manufacturing cost, quality and production processes while reducing dependence on external supply chains. It will also retain intellectual property, technical expertise and manufacturing knowledge 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.
EMPEL develops customer-specific electric propulsion systems for demanding applications, combining electric machines, power electronics and system integration. Its eModule platform provides a scalable basis for engineering solutions around individual customer and application requirements.
“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,” King adds.
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 programme is expected to support 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 Scale-up award is therefore intended to help EMPEL establish cost-competitive manufacturing capacity capable of supporting future production programmes in both the UK and international markets.
