Project Update: Rapid Progression for Ultra-Compact Rotary Range Extender

It has been just over a year since the UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK awarded AIE (UK) Ltd with Smart Programme grant funding to develop an ultra-compact range extender for electric vehicles. Since then, the project continues to move rapidly forward for the Midland based Wankel rotary engine specialists.

The Smart Programme grant funding has enabled AIE to progress with their innovative plans to develop an extremely compact rotary engine range extender system that will use cutting-edge technology to eliminate the disadvantages of rotary engines, increasing efficiency and enabling extra energy to charge electric vehicle batteries.

Smart Advancements to Help Extend the Range of Electric Vehicles

Since the start of the Smart Programme, AIE have worked hard utilising their state-of-the-art facilities in Lichfield to successfully complete a number of milestones.

Following important achievements within the project, including the translation of customer needs into technical requirements, AIE have now successfully completed the design and computer analysis element of the project.

With the simulation results, component designs and risk mitigation complete, the exciting part of the project is now fully underway – the manufacture of the prototype.

The components that make up the ultra-compact CREEV range extender will be completed using rapid prototyping systems and subject to high precision quality and dimensional checks using AIE’s coordinate measuring machine (CMM). This then allows AIE to move on to the final stages of conducting thorough tests with their dedicated in-house dynamometer test cell to verify calculated performance of the rotary engine range extender unit.

Confidence in Design and Delivery

What does this exciting project mean for the future of electric vehicles?

Nathan Bailey, Managing Director of AIE (UK) Ltd explains: “With the ultra-compact CREEV range extender well on track for completion in September, we’re confident that this new variation on the rotary engine will meet the needs of the EV range extender industry.”

 “At the beginning of the project, we identified customer needs and incorporated them into the technical requirements… such as high reliability and efficiency, low emissions, low vibration, reduced noise and the need for a light, compact unit. CREEV technology marks an important change for rotary EV range extenders by finally meeting those design and performance requirements.”

The CREEV range extender unit is a remarkable step forward in engine efficiency by harnessing additional energy from exhaust emissions and using the recovered energy to generate more power and thermal efficiency.

If you would like to keep up to date with the progression and official launch of the newly developed CREEV technology, please follow AIE on Twitter or LinkedIn or visit www.aieuk.com/news for more details.