Q: Could you briefly explain your role, involvement, and experience related to the focus of this event?
Mike Bassett, MAHLE Powertrain (MB): I am the Engineering Director at MAHLE Powertrain. We specialise in supporting our customers with the design, prototyping and development of powertrain systems for vehicles. Historically, our focus has been high-performance gasoline engines. More recently, the focus has shifted to very high efficiency engines and renewable fuels. Over the past 15 years we have also broadened our capabilities to offer our customers support with hybrid, EV and fuel cell technologies, with a specific focus on turnkey battery pack design and development capability.
In my previous role, as Chief Engineer for Research, I was heavily involved in the development of several electrified demonstrator vehicles, featuring novel technologies. These research projects have enabled our team to develop and hone their engineering skills and experience, enabling us to offer our customers robust and ingenious designs for hybrid and electric propulsion systems.
David Twohig, McKinsey & Company (DT): Having spent the last 30-odd years leading vehicle developments for large and small OEMs, including that of one of the first truly affordable BEVs (the Renault ZOE), my role at McKinsey & Company now allows me to help various companies tackling this: one of, if not the biggest automotive engineering challenges of our time.
Milen Patel, Lotus Cars (MP): I currently work for Lotus Cars as a Software Engineer. I develop the charging system code in multiple markets for the Lotus Evija Hyper-car. Additionally I have led numerous testing and homologation activities along with supporting high profile press events and customer drives.
Lisa Bingley, MIRA Technology Institute (LB): I'm Chair of the Automobile Division of the IMechE so I am involved in initiatives and activities aimed at advancing automotive engineering. This works hand in hand with my current role as Operations director of MIRA Technology Institute. My role involves coordinating with industry experts, organising events, and promoting innovation and best practices within the field. With years of experience in automotive engineering, I bring a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities in this sector.
Q: What, in your experience, has been the biggest roadblock for the industry over the past 2-3 years?
MB: As the industry moves to electrification, the complexity and cost of developing bespoke battery packs is a particular burden to small volume vehicle manufacturers. There is no easy solution to this, as the design, development and validation of new packs is complex and expensive, and this work needs to be done thoroughly to ensure the safety and robustness of the resulting product. Our experience enables us to guide our customers through this process and tailor pack designs that suit their needs and their budgets.
Despite huge investments by all major OEMs, in both R&D and marketing, the sales volumes of EV’s have not achieved expected levels and the demand for many models has declined in recent months. There are multiple reasons for this disappointing performance, but one major factor is the persistently high cost of batteries which leads to EV retail prices being significantly higher than conventional equivalent models.
DT: Public perception - too few people have had the opportunity to test drive, own and live with EVs. Hence some of the myths and misconceptions abbot the technologies have persisted longer than they perhaps should have.
MP: I think the biggest roadblock for the automotive industry has been changing legislation, changing demands from consumers and a push towards software defined vehicles. Learning to understand these changes and preparing for them is critical in the current climate.
LB: The biggest challenge has been the transition to electric vehicles (EVs). Government decisions play a large role in OEM choices and directly influence well planned road maps. Which in turn poses challenges in terms of infrastructure development and consumer adoption.
Q: What key topics are you excited to discuss at this year's conference?
MB: The project that I will be presenting at the conference is a collaborative research project, where we have created a battery pack that fits into a very tight package space, and yet is capable of meeting very challenging performance targets, in particular rapid recharging. The presentation will focus on the technical challenge faced and our approach to finding a solution. The resulting novel features of the pack that we have developed, and the advantages offered, will also be discussed.
DT: Making products affordable can sometimes seem a somewhat dry subject - but not to me! What excites me most about the specific topic I will be speaking about is that it's a truly whole-vehicle challenge - it's not just a subject for the electrochemists: all disciplines of engineering will need to pull together and cooperate to help make zero tailpipe-emissions vehicles accessible to folks at all income levels.
MP: New battery technology and how the next generation of technology will effect EV's in the future.
LB: I’m particularly excited to hear about new trends that will advance EV technology. These topics are crucial for the future of the industry and will drive significant changes in how we design and use vehicles.
Q: What do you consider to be the key areas of innovation in this industry, both in the UK and internationally?
MB: Huge advances have been made across the whole industry with increasing battery energy density, optimisation of thermal management systems, faster charging and discharging, i.e. higher power, and improvements in BMS control system software.
Going forward, to minimise environmental impact, we also need to keep a keen focus on the material content and recyclability of battery packs.
DT: Besides cell chemistry, thermal system design, and of course the opportunities to apply the latest AI tools.
MP: I consider the whole UK EV supply chain and battery segment key areas of innovation. From OEM suppliers to start up companies. Additionally I think a key bit of innovation in the UK and globally is the use of software modelling to extract either the most amount of performance from a battery or the largest usable lifetime from a battery. I think with the combination of clever hardware design and software optimisations the maximum performance can be extracted.
LB: I hope to find this out at the EV Batteries conference, with an overarching theme of Net Zero in the UK and internationally.
Q: Who else are you most interested in hearing from on the programme?
MB: I am very interested in immersion cooling. We have undertaken some design studies in this area, and immersion cooling can offer some significant benefits for battery performance and safety. However, the applicability of this to large packs requires a low viscosity fluid with a high thermal capacity. I am very interested to see what will be presented by BP on this topic.
DT: I'm going to duck this question! The programme looks packed with interesting topics, so I'm not going to single out any session in particular.
MP: I am interested in hearing from David Clerici and there presentation on Smart Battery Packs. I think this could be a very interesting topic.
LB: I am looking forward to hearing from the researchers and developers in the latest technological advancements and finding out about the research that is being carried out.
Q: Why is it important for engineers to join this conference?
MB: It is an excellent way to keep abreast of the latest developments within our industry and to network and meet with fellow engineers who face similar technical challenges.
DT: EVs remain, if not the perfect solution, the best near-term technology to reduce point-of-use emissions and improve urban air quality. Engineers who get actively involved in this field can not only benefit professionally, but genuinely help to create a better future. This conference will give engineers a clear snapshot of the state of the EV industry and hopefully inspire them in how they can actively participate.
MP: I think its important for engineers to join this conference, firstly for a basis to understand what challenges are being faced within the industry and secondly to understand what direction the industry is headed in and how it will affect those within the industry.
LB: This conference provides a unique opportunity for engineers to network with industry leaders, learn about the latest technological advancements, and share their own experiences and ideas. It’s a platform for collaboration and innovation, which is essential for driving the industry forward.
This year’s EV Batteries conference will be taking place on 12-13 November 2024 at the British Motor Museum in Warwick. To book your place, please visit www.imeche.org/evbatteries.