Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE) has been nominated as the supplier of the battery for the LMDh programme, which marks another major battery contract for the Oxfordshire based technology company.
The LMDh initiative allows hybrid race cars to compete in both the IMSA and WEC endurance race series and provides the first opportunity in many years to compete across multiple series under the same technical regulations.
WAE will work alongside two other partners, Bosch and Xtrac who will be providing the motor, inverter and gearbox technology respectively. WAE will be responsible for the battery, DC-DC converter and the company’s bespoke Battery Management System.
Williams Advanced Engineering has its roots in hybridisation and endurance racing. The company was formed around the team that created the Jaguar C-X75 hybrid supercar. It provided the flywheel energy store to the Audi LMP1 car and aerodynamic testing to the all-conquering Porsche. In addition, WAE also supplied the complete KERS hybrid system to the Marussia Formula 1 team.
“We’re extremely proud to be involved in this exciting initiative which we believe is key to the future of sports car racing; allowing for a standard set of regulations on both sides of the Atlantic†said Iain Wight, Business Development Director, WAE . “As a company, we started in hybrid vehicle projects and have since grown our world class expertise in all areas of lightweight electrification; specifically high performance batteries and battery systems which will help secure the technical longevity of the series at the same time as meeting the future demands of hybrid systems for manufacturers â€.
About Williams Advanced Engineering (“WAEâ€)
Williams Advanced Engineering Limited operates a technology and engineering services business. In 2010, Williams Grand Prix Engineering Limited began diversifying its operations, leading to the establishment of the Williams Advanced Engineering division, which became Williams Advanced Engineering Limited.
Combining cutting edge technology and the industry’s best engineers with precision and speed to market derived from four decades of success in the ultra-competitive environment of Formula One, Williams Advanced Engineering provides world class technical innovation, engineering, testing, manufacturing and operational consultancy services to the automotive, motorsport, aerospace, defence, health and energy sectors. Working in close collaboration with its customers, Williams Advanced Engineering helps meet the sustainability challenges of the 21st century and improve performance, with its expertise in aerodynamics and thermodynamics, electrification, advanced lightweight materials, simulation and vehicle integration.
In December 2019, Williams Grand Prix Engineering agreed to the sale of a majority equity stake in Williams Advanced Engineering to EMK Capital, with Williams retaining a significant minority stake in the business. Williams Advanced Engineering has grown from an embryonic business in 2010 to a company employing 350 people engaged in many innovative and transformative technical areas for a growing list of clients. The investment by EMK represented a natural next step in the evolution of the company, unlocking the potential for further growth.
The company was honoured with the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation 2018. For more information see www.wae.com, follow on Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.
*Article Source http://www.williamsf1.com
