LPG Vans and Hybrid Vehicles

 Ashwoods is celebrating after coming runner up at SMMT’s second annual award designed to showcase the importance of R&D and the role the UK plays in developing global automotive products, beating off stiff competition from companies across the car, commercial vehicle and supply chain sectors.

 Ralph Hosier, SMMT judge , engineer and motoring journalist  commenting on the shortlist of six said, “The level of detail people had to go into to make their systems work was very impressive. Because they couldn’t find anything off the shelf that would actually work for them they created something that would.  The ingenuity in the detail was quite amazing”.

 The award, sponsored by GKN Driveline, was presented to JLR’s Chief Engineer, Hybrids, Peter Richings at SMMT’s Annual Dinner by Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, Norman Baker and Rob Rickell, Global Engineering Director, GKN. 

 Commenting on the announcement, Paul Everitt, SMMT Chief Executive and chair of the five-strong judging panel said, “The awards clearly demonstrates industry’s commitment to lowering vehicle emissions and creating exciting products for demanding consumers. They champion industry innovation – promoting cutting-edge automotive engineering and design that the UK is famed for around the world.”

 Sponsor of this year’s Award, GKN Driveline’s Engineering Director, Rob Rickell said, “GKN Driveline is once again proud to sponsor the award. As a UK company, we recognise that research and development of technology will result in innovative solutions satisfying our society’s demanding and ever evolving needs. By doing this successfully, we and others will have a positive impact on the environment, the communities and the economies in which we all operate. The finalists tonight demonstrate fine examples of developments that embody that spirit.”

 On presenting the Award, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, Norman Baker, spoke about the importance of recognising innovation within the UK’s automotive sector, adding that a collaborative approach across the commercial, business and government sectors was essential in encouraging new technologies and products to market. 

 This year’s Award was judged by a panel of senior industry figures, including Dave Salt, Chief Engineer, GKN Driveline, Ralph Hosier, Engineer and Motoring Journalist and Jon Beasley, Group Technology Officer, GKN.

Ashwoods Hybrid Drive Sytem won the Innovation catagory at the first Western Morning News Business Awards. The prize was one of 14 handed out at an event at St Mellion International which celebrated the best businesses in the Westcountry.

WMN editor Alan Qualtrough said, “The aim of our awards was to celebrate the Westcountry’s business talent and innovation and all the winners should feel very proud of their achievements.”

Ashwoods Head of Marketing Victoria Davison said, “We are delighted to have been recognised for our innovation and as an Exeter based business be among the growing business community demonstrating excellence in the South West”.

Main sponsor was South West Water with Coutts, Viridor, Plymouth University, Brewin Dolphin, Gregory Distribution, Foot Anstey, KPMG, Bond Pearce, RBS and First Great Western.

 Leaders in the drive to cut carbon emissions from road transport have been announced at a prestigious ceremony in London and Ashwoods joined their ranks in the 2011 ‘Low Carbon Innovation by an SME’ in second place.

 The LowCVP Low Carbon Champions Awards recognise best practice in key areas from vehicle manufacturing and fleet operation to the development of products and services that reduce greenhouse gases from road transport operations. The winners were announced at the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership (LowCVP) Gala Reception, held at One Birdcage Walk, Westminster, at an event held in association with the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE).

 Tony Juniper, independent environmental adviser and writer and former Executive Director of Friends of the Earth said: “It’s all too easy to take a backseat on this agenda. We need much more leadership. The winners of these LowCVP Awards have demonstrated leadership in their various fields; we need more individuals and organisations like them.”

 Greg Archer, Managing Director of the LowCVP, said: “These Awards recognise best practice and innovation, highlighting leadership in accelerating the shift to lower carbon vehicles and fuels. “The number and quality of entries was even higher than last year which shows the level of energy and enthusiasm that exists to create new markets for lower carbon vehicles.”

Philippa Oldham, Head of Transport at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, said: “The shift to low carbon vehicles has the potential to be the greatest automotive development since the internal combustion engine. However for this to happen we need innovative, forward thinking businesses to drive progress.

“That’s why it’s so important that we recognise, through these awards, those British businesses that are building a low carbon vehicle industry in this country, helping to put the UK at the very forefront of this next technological revolution.”

The Awards are accredited by the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) which means they meet a robust set of criteria and by doing so demonstrate high quality and validity. In a rigorous judging process – involving 28 senior individuals from across the range of organisations with a stake in this agenda ‐ a total of 44 companies and organisations madethe Awards shortlist.

The winner of the prestigious overall award was Nissan GB. In making the award the judges said that Nissan has been at the forefront of EV and battery technology development and its efforts have culminated in the launch of the ground ‐breaking fully electric Nissan LEAF in

March 2011.

Ashwoods Automotive has held its ranking as one of the fastest growing companies in the European clean technologies sector.  

Cleantech Connect 2011, recognizes Europe’s rising stars within the Clean Technology industry and Ashwoods Automotive are proud to again be listed in the top 25 League Tables.

The 11th Michelin Challenge Bibendum, which took place in Berlin, has proved the most popular to date with a record breaking 16,000 plus people attending the five-day event.

Organised by Michelin, this global ‘rally for sustainable mobility’ saw Berlin’s Templehof airport transformed into an exhibition centre, round-table conference rooms and test tracks to highlight the latest sustainable transport innovations and technologies. UK companies leading the way in innovative engine development and vehicle design were to the fore at Challenge Bibendum, with five Shell Springboard Award winning firms forming a UK Eco-Innovation Zone in the exhibition hall. Among them was Exeter-based Ashwoods, a hybrid and low carbon vehicle company whose hybrid van helped them claim a Challenge Bibendum Design Recognition Award – the only UK company to receive such an accolade at this year’s event.
Mark Roberts, Managing Director of Ashwoods Automotive, said: “We are extremely proud to be the only British company honoured in these awards. This further underlines the financial and environmental benefits that our fuel-saving technology is delivering across the UK today.”

On the first day, a parade of all the participating vehicles in front of the Brandenburg Gate was one of the highlights of this year’s event. This was in addition to the traditional series of rallies – the Intercity Passenger Car Rally, the Urban Vehicle Rally and the Battery Electric Rally – which are designed to test vehicles on various performance criteria including energy consumption, manoeuvrability and noise levels.

Indoors, 72 exhibitors displayed cutting-edge products and innovations in the Technological Exhibition Centre and conference rooms hosted 50 events including forums, round-tables and workshops, and first-time features such as the Leaders’ Forum. There was also a UK Eco-Innovation Zone, which showcased some of the best in British vehicle and engine design and manufacturing.

During the five days of Challenge Bibendum, over 16,000 people visited the event with 10,000 members of the public attending the first ever open day on the Sunday. One thousand students from all across Europe attended the Student Day – another first at this year’s event.

Eric Le Corre, Michelin UK’s Managing Director, said: “It gave me great pleasure to see such a strong UK presence at this year’s Challenge Bibendum, the biggest and best attended event to date. We had UK representatives from industry, public affairs, the press and universities; all of whom were extremely impressed with the exhibitions, debates, vehicles and the many new innovations on show.”

Innovation and technological advancement are key themes for every Challenge Bibendum event and 2011 was no exception as Michelin showcased some of its latest developments. These included a puncture-proof concept tyre which uses an inner material that distorts and stretches around the penetrating object preventing air-loss – an innovation which could make punctures a thing of the past.

Other concepts were small tyres for electric urban vehicles, large narrow tyres for improved aerodynamics and rolling resistance, and a high capacity truck tyre making twin-axle trailers a possibility in place of the three-axles currently used.

Michelin’s Active Wheel technology was also on display. Integrating all of an electric vehicle’s drive, suspension and braking components into the wheel itself, the Active Wheel offers the prospect of excellent handling, driving comfort and efficiency.
Out on the test tracks, 280 vehicles – including everything from a fuel-cell powered London black cab to the latest electric Formula One-style car – took to the tarmac, providing visitors with a first-hand vision of the green, clean motoring opportunities of the future.

North Ayrshire Council has continued to show its commitment to the environment by purchasing a fleet of seven Ashwoods Hybrid Transit Vans, making it the proud owner of the largest hybrid van fleet in Scotland.
The Council has purchased the award-winning Hybrid Transit vans from Ashwoods Automotive. The vans are standard Ford Transits with all the normal features, but are fitted with an innovative hybrid drive system. They will replace a fleet of diesel-powered vehicles used by the Council’s Building Services.

At a time of increasing awareness of environmental issues – and fuel costs – the hybrid vans deliver fuel consumption reductions of up to 20 percent, saving around £700 a year per vehicle and reducing carbon emissions.
Councillor Tom Barr, portfolio holder for the environment, said: “The purchase of this fleet of hybrid vans once again shows the Council’s commitment to energy efficiency.

“It is important to remember that the benefits of energy efficiency are twofold. Not only do we ensure that we are doing our best to save the environment from the effects of carbon emissions – we are saving money while doing so. This is especially important at a time when finances are tight.

“Should the new eco vans prove a success, they could be extended across the Council’s transport fleet.”

The Ashwoods Hybrid Drive system recovers energy normally lost during braking and deceleration. A battery stores the energy before an electric motor redirects it to the rear wheels – making the vans extremely efficient. Because the hybrid system is entirely self-powered, the vans never need to be plugged in for a battery charge. And unlike pure electric vehicles, hybrids are not restricted to low mileage duties.

North Ayrshire’s seven hybrids are part funded by Transport Scotland’s Low Carbon Vehicle Procurement Support Scheme (LCVPSS), which enables public sector bodies to purchase electric and hybrid vehicles for extensive operational trials.

Ashwoods Hybrid Transits are also used by the Royal Mail, Transport for London and the Environment Agency.

Mark Roberts, Managing Director of Ashwoods Automotive, said: “Forward-thinking councils like North Ayrshire are demonstrating that low carbon vehicles don’t have to cost the earth. Working with Ashwoods, it is possible to reduce emissions from road transport and cut fuel bills at the same time.”

Ashwoods won the 2011 Express and Echo Award for Innovation in their April Awards ceremony. Mark Roberts, Managing Director of Ashwoods said “We are very happy to be recongnised for our Innovation, especially by a local publication likethe Express & Echo, all of our staff read the paper!”

On a cold morning in late April Ashwoods travelled to London to meet Boris Johnson and become one of the partners of the Low Emission Zone Vehicle Replacement Scheme. Over 70,000 London van and mini bus drivers will be effected by the new LEZ rules coming into effect in January 2012. These rules mean that vehicle that are 10 years old or more are charged £100 a day to enter the zone unless they upgrade to a new vehicle.

Ashwoods is on hand to aid these drivers with a trade in offer that gives them: £500 off their old van; A new discounted Ashwoods EcoDrive Transit with fuel saving technology that saves between 5-15% on fuel use and the peace of mind that they can order now and take delivery of their van anytime between now and the changes. Ashwoods Head of Sales David Balchin ssaid “The Interest we are getting from the LEV rule change is great. We are getting drivers trading in old vans for new ones. Some of them are a little grumpy that they have to do this, however once we explain that they will be saving up to 15% on their fuel bills, they seem a lot happier!

Furthermore April also saw the debut of Ashwoods at the Commercial Vehicle Show at the NEC, Birmingham. Ashwoods had a prominent stand and were showcasing some of their latest technologies including the Ashwoods EcoDrive and the Ashwoods Hybrid Transit. David Balchin, Head of Sales said “The show provided us with a terrific platform to show the CV market our products and how we can help save them money and reduce their emissions. We were busy on the stand and look forward to dealing with the new customers that we met through the show.

Last night, Ashwoods Automotive pitched alongside other top business ideas in a Dragons Den style environment in a bid to receive Shell Springboard funding for its new spin off business. Ashwoods Energy (a dedicated company focusing on Battery Management Solutions) was successful and received £30,000 in funding and a place in the overall final in London on the 22nd February. Mark Roberts; CEO of Ashwoods Automotive and Ashwoods Energy said “We believe that Battery Management is one of the biggest barriers holding back the widespread HEV/EV take up. AE will help lower this barrier with advanced Battery Management that provides improved battery performance, longer range, faster charging, smaller battery packs with lower costs and longer life cycles.”

The Shell Springboard funding will provide the finance to launch Ashwoods Energy as a stand alone business developing battery management solutions for battery manufacturers, HEV/EV vehicle manufacturers and bespoke development projects. More information can be found at www.ashwoodsenergy.org

Ashwoods has made it into the Top 25 of the fastest growing Cleantech Companies in Europe. Ashwoods was ranked No. 1 in this prestigious green technology growth chart. Ashwoods is the UK’s largest supplier of Hybrid Commercial Vehicles and Low Emission Technology

Mark Roberts, Ashwoods MD said ” We are thrilled to have made the Cleantech Connect Top 25 and then to go on and be ranked No. 1. , Ashwoods inclusion in this well respected list of European Greentech businesses is down to the rapid growth the business has experienced over the past 2 years from our sale of our low emission products”.

You can read more about Cleantech Connect and Ashwoods Automotive being ranked No. 1 by clicking here.

Article from boston.com

The black Lincoln Town Car that Tod Hynes has been driving around Boston looks exactly like the sort of sedan that would ferry a well-paid executive to Logan. But under the hood and stashed in the trunk is a system that has turned the gas-guzzler into a hybrid, nudging down its gas consumption.
Hynes, the president of Somerville-based XL Hybrids Inc., says the company is focused on retrofitting vehicles for customers who “drive a lot of miles in low mile-per-gallon vehicles”; He says that the company’s pilot vehicles have been demonstrating a 10 to 15 percent savings in fuel costs, and that the first commercially-retrofitted cars – they will mainly be Lincoln Town Cars – will save owners 20 to 30 percent a year.
XL (the name stands for “extra large vehicles”) is announcing this week that it has raised $2 million in new funding, and signed a licensing agreement with Ashwoods Automotive Ltd. in Britain, the company that makes the retrofit kit that XL will adapt for use in the States. Ashwoods has been retrofitting Ford vans in Europe with its kit (about 150 are now on the road), and XL has adapted the Ashwoods kit for use in sedans, with light-duty vans to follow soon. XL had previously raised $1.8 million in convertible debt from angel investors; one of its backers is the Massachusetts Green Energy Fund, which has invested $300,000 in the company.
“Some of these livery companies that own Town Cars have $20,000 fuel bills per vehicle, per year; Hynes says.”But the economics of doing the conversion can give them a two-year payback, even just assuming they’re doing 60,000 miles a year in a car
The kit adds an array of lithium ion batteries to capture energy that would ordinarily be lost in braking; an electric motor to return that energy to the wheels during acceleration; and an anti-idling system that allows certain accessories (like heat or air conditioning) to run for extended periods without leaving the engine on. “You don’t need high-tech tools to install it, or much training; Hynes says. “The retrofit can be done in a standard garage; While Hynes doesn’t want to talk prices, co-founder Justin Ashton told the Globe last year that the kit will cost less than $10,000.
Initially, XL will be doing the conversions at its Union Square garage and headquarters, though Hynes says the eventual goal is to develop a network of partners around the country that can install the retrofit kits. In Britain, he says, Ashwoods can perform the conversion in less than four hours.
Hynes says that XL is focused on converting vehicles that get fewer than 20 miles per gallon (a Town Car travelling city streets may get about thirteen), and is interested in selling mainly to companies that operate large fleets, as opposed to individuals. While Hynes acknowledges that as more and more hybrids and electric vehicles are sold, there may be decreased demand for conversion, he believes conversion is “a fifteen year opportunity.” He also suggests that the company has future plans related to connecting electric vehicles and hybrids to the electrical grid.
Founded in 2009, XL has 11 full-time employees, with plans to hire another five auto technicians and engineers this year.