KS Composites are experts in carbon fibre – they make the indestructible parts of Formula One.
We are on the same wavelength as Michelin, who’ve have been focusing on mobility for over 100 years. They have supplied our tyres.
The fuel cell comes from Hydrogenics in Canada, via Germany. It’s the size they normally supply to forklift trucks but it’s plenty big enough for our car.
The Seat Design Company have worked on a super lightweight seat especially for us.
Printed Motor Works have co-designed and built our in-wheel motors. They’ve made an extra one – to put on display in their HQ.
Hella are working with us on headlights – we have the first pair in the country of their latest LED designs.
JSR Micro in Japan are the world’s frontrunners in lithium ion capacitors. We are pioneering their use in road-going cars.
Thanks to the team at DiffPlug for supporting us with their excellent DiffPlug tool, which our software team have been using to track changes in Matlab models and other source code files. It has really helped productivity.
GRANTS AND SUPPORT
We are very proud to have received a substantial grant from the Welsh Government
of £2m for Research, Development and Innovation in 2015, which supported the build of the Rasa prototype.
We have also been awarded a European Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking grant (SWARM) of €2m towards the 12 month market trial and Beta test.
Innovate UK awarded us a grant for a Circular Economy feasibility project on taking the sale of service upstream into the supply chain in 2015 that concluded successfully in March. We are actively seeking funding to continue this work through collaborative projects.
Innovate UK have also awarded us 2 technology grants for carbon composite innovation; one for a new braiding process in collaboration with Manchester University and the other for exploring the properties of flax in carbon fibre, with our partners KS Composites and the NetComposites group.
The Niche Vehicle Network has given us a grant to design and test new hydrogen tank componentry that will simplify and improve the pressure flows through the powertrain.
Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells have given us free access to their road network for vehicle testing. Our test vehicles have achieved over 50% regenerative braking on their hills.
The Welsh Automotive Forum and the Mid Wales Manufacturing Group have given us lots of contacts with other Welsh companies who have collaborated with us on the build of the prototype.
We were honoured to receive the Judge’s Special Award at the Powys Business Awards in 2015. In 2016,we were also Runners Up for the Clean and Green Award in the National CSR Awards; Highly Commended for Low Carbon Innovation by an SME by the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership; awarded the Simms Medal by the RAC Club, a very prestigious award given only in years of merit for outstanding contribution to motoring innovation, and named the Next Generation Car of the Year by NextGreenCar.com.