Niche Vehicle Network

Proof of Concept / 2024

Boped Proof of Concept: Enhanced Utility for E-Moped

BOMOBILITY LTD

The Boped Proof of Concept seeks to create a fully functional demonstrator vehicle for a new and innovative omni-category lightweight e-motorcycle.

Aiming to enable the niche production of highly optimised vehicles for specific use-cases: the Boped project is a response to the new era of e-mobility tearing apart the rulebook on vehicle categories and capabilities.

The Boped Proof of Concept showcases UK niche design and engineering at its best: identifying new vehicle opportunities based on the latest technological progress, and offering a better user experience in response.

Proof of Concept / 2024

Ultra Low Floor Electric Truck for Safer and Cleaner Deliveries

FR8 TECHNOLOGY LIMITED

This project will produce a static demonstrator 16 Tonne rigid delivery vehicle with a low-floor, providing direct access for unloading from the truck to the footpath. Reducing the access height to the load space from a typical 1200mm to just 300mm will be achieved using a radical patent-protected drive system with an e-motor mounted remote from the wheel, driving a gear train in the suspension arm and a double epicyclic reduction at the wheelhead. This solution offers a low floor truck with adequate clearance to load trolleys or pallets between the wheelboxes at the floor height lower than a van.

Proof of Concept / 2024

Conversion of 4wd Off highway construction vehicle from ICE to BEV_QPLEV_DEM1

QUATTRO PLANT LIMITED

Quattro Plant are leading developers in the field of up-cycled off-highway vehicles converting internal combustion engine machines to battery powertrains. This funding opportunity allows our R&D department to take what is a concept vehicle to become a technical demonstrator. These vehicles will directly match their ICE equivalents in performance and duty cycle but have zero tailpipe emissions.

These vehicles also work at significant noise and vibration reductions, making them ideally placed for urban environments and decreasing the long term effects caused by noise and vibration not only to operators but all surrounding site staff and visitors.

Production Readiness / 2024

HIVED – A High-Safety Integrated VCU & Electric Drive for Agricultural, Industrial & Lightweight Automotive Vehicles

MUON TECH LTD

Muon Tech is bringing to market the VXM-35, an integrated electric drive and vehicle control unit. The VXM-35 is designed to fit tight packaging volumes, with high levels of functional safety, reliability & functionality, and will be offered to niche-vehicle OEM's with a co-engineered 35-kW PMAC motor.

This plug-and-play solution is ideal for: (a) Traction applications on-board light vehicles (e.g. motorcycles/micro-cars); and (b) ePTO applications on-board industrial & agricultural vehicles.

In collaboration with Househam Sprayers and Rock Engineering, the goal of the HIVED Project is to prepare the VXM-35 for production and demonstrate it on-board the world’s first electric crop-sprayer.

Production Readiness / 2024

Hi-DEN Gen2

CARBON THREESIXTY LIMITED

The Hi-DEN Gen2 project will develop the design, manufacturing, integration and testing of a conformable hydrogen storage solution to meet the growing demand of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs) and help the UK reach its net zero targets by 2050. The Hi-DEN Gen2 system targets enhanced volumetric efficiency by approaching the storage of hydrogen through arrays of “micro” hydrogen vessels that enables huge increases in storage capacity, efficiency and vehicle range. The Hi-DEN Gen2 project will build, test and integrate on a vehicle demonstrator a functional full scale hydrogen storage system.

Production Readiness / 2023

SWIFTY GO – Setting a New Standard in E-Scooter Safety

SWIFTY SCOOTERS LIMITED

This project addresses two common problems within the e-scooter industry; rider safety and product lifespan. This project will accelerate the development of the new UK made SwiftyGO e-scooter that is optimised for superior rider safety. The design and engineering of SwiftyGO guarantees a long product lifespan by way of premium build quality and enabling fix and repair within both the frame design and battery design. These factors offer significant benefits in terms of Net Zero at vehicle level, at consumer level, and for the e-scooter industry as a whole.

Production Readiness / 2023

Zero Emission for Low Volume 3

ARIEL ELECTRIC LIMITED

Having proved the concept of a lightweight high performance zero emission Ariel Nomad using a highly optimised powertrain through the successful completion of the ‘ZELV2’ Proof of Concept study, this project aims to advance the battery technology and vehicle control systems previously developed and optimise the manufacturing methods towards a state of pre-production readiness in preparation for exploitation to the low volume niche vehicle market. Ariel Electric Limited and Rockfort Engineering Limited will now partner with BAMD Composites to develop a lightweight aerodynamic body that improves vehicle efficiency while reducing environmental impact over the vehicle’s whole lifecycle.

Production Readiness / 2023

Lightweight, Rapid-charge, Electric CALLUM ATV

PROJECT FOUR DESIGN LIMITED

CALLUM are leading a consortium with Nyobolt and Codem Composites to deliver a lightweight, rapid charge, HV electric ATV with a view of creating a product that not only equals but betters the performance attributes of the ICE dominated ATVs on the market.
The project will build on the sub-pack battery and composite space frame chassis to prove out the whole vehicle, developing the battery, chassis, sustainable composite body and EV Powertrain.

Production Readiness / 2023

Removable Battery System for Lightweight Electric Motorcycle

MAEVING LIMITED

Maeving is the UK's first electric motorcycle company. Their first motorcycle, the RM1, launched in April 2022 and is now the number one selling electric motorcycle in the UK. Maeving are developing a new, higher energy density removable battery with improved thermal performance to accelerate their growth and launch their international expansion. The project will move their battery production from a Far Eastern to a UK based supplier, Alexander Technologies, supporting their ambition to make Britain a leading manufacturer of electric motorcycles.

Feasibility Study: Zero Emission Powered Light Vehicles / 2022

Quadricycle EV Systems Study - QuESSt

WATT ELECTRIC VEHICLE COMPANY LIMITED

Watt Electric Vehicle Company (WEVC) have successfully developed a number of novel and patented ZEV technologies in light commercial (N1) and passenger (M1) vehicles. This, whilst targeting specialist volume niche sector vehicles, will make a significant contribution on the road to net zero. The QuESSt project will evaluate and simulate innovatively integrating key emerging battery and powertrain technologies to provide a unified lightweight L7e platform for future ultra-efficient passenger and commercial vehicles. Technical and commercial feasibility will be investigated to support a new start up OEM passenger vehicle and WEVC last mile delivery vehicle extending the brands commercial product portfolio.