Energy Innovation Centre opened in Warwick

Warwick Manufacturing Group has opened a new £50m energy innovation centre to focus on the development of battery technology. The largest manufacturing group in the world, Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) employs 700 staff and has an annual programme of £180m. The centre was opened by Business Secretary Sajid Javid.

Professor Lord Bhattacharyya, WMG chairman, said he was delighted the Secretary of State has opened the Centre. “Electric and hybrid vehicles are the future of automotive and WMG is at the forefront of this research. We have a long history of research impact in hybrid, electric and low carbon vehicles,” he added.

A £13m battery materials scale up pilot line is at the WMG, and aims to create an electric vehicle battery from concept to creation, that can be in enough volume to be tested industrially. Also on place at the Centre is a better characterisation laboratory, an electric/hybrid test drive facility and testing chambers. There is also another £80m programme on developing cheaper, more energy dense batteries. Over time it is predicted it will extend to fuel cells, ultra-capacitors and inductive charging.

Sajid Javid MP said: “WMG is a world leader in battery technology research that supports the evolution of electric vehicles, promoting innovation and attracting investment to the local area.” WMG was founded in 1980 by Lord Bhattacharyya. An academic department of Warwick University, it has collaborative centres in several countries across the world.