Mac partners with Chrysler for $18.2 million project

J.J. Bardoel
Silhouette Intern

McMaster University has revealed a new five-year, $18.2 million partnership with Chrysler, along with additional funding from the Canadian government, with the intent to develop new advanced energy efficient electrical vehicles.

Greg Rickford, Canada’s Minister of State for Science and Technology, revealed the agreement Oct. 25 during an event held at the McMaster Automotive Resource Centre. Chrysler will invest $9.25 million to the program, with an additional $8.93 million provided by the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, an agency within Automotive Partnership Canada, which supports the initiative of increased industry research at Canadian universities.

"Our Government is investing in automotive research and development to put greener, better-performing vehicles on the road to create jobs, strengthen the economy and improve the quality of life of Canadians," said Rickford.

“Today's announcement allows Canada's knowledge and know-how to be shared with even more people and businesses from around the world and provides us with even greater opportunity for growth."

The agreement follows Chrysler Group’s various endeavours into the electrical market, notably the launch of the 2013 Fiat 500e, a battery-electric vehicle, and extensive research into vehicle-to-grid technologically.

All work will be done at McMaster, where 80 graduate and undergraduate engineering students, 20 Chrysler engineers, 16 faculty members and seven McMaster research engineers will team up, having access to Chrysler group laboratories and test vehicles.

“This cheap real viagra england project harnesses the kind of intellectual capital and collaboration required to respond to such challenges,” said Bob Lee, Chrysler Group Vice President and Head of Engine, Powertrain and Electrified Propulsion Systems Engineering. “The result – superior technology developed from efficient new processes.”

The project came about through Chrysler’s push for further advances in energy efficient powertrains (vehicles) in their product line. In order to do so, numerous prototypes will be developed based off of varying concepts of vehicular electrification; power electronics, electric machines, motor control, energy management systems, embedded software and electrified powertrain architecture and optimization

Rickford also revealed a three-year agreement with a $3.9 million investment, with $2 million from NSERC and $1.4 million from four different industrial partners, one of them Chrysler. Remaining funds will come from CANMET, a part of Natural Resources Canada that works with the energy industry.

“Proliferating the use of strong, lightweight materials such as aluminum and magnesium is among the most promising avenues to reduce the energy demand on vehicle powertrains. Reductions in energy demand are key contributors to improved fuel economy,” said Tony Mancina, Head of Chrysler Group’s Automotive Research Development Centre.

The project looks to research potential ways to incorporate weight-saving alloys. Work will take place predominantly at McMaster, with research support coming from Ryerson University and University of Trento in Italy. The partnership will also have access to Fiat’s Italian based arm, Centro Ricerche Fiat S.C.p.A., for research.

A primary goal of the technology being developed between the McMaster and Chrysler partnership is affordability, due to the high production cost often associated with electrical vehicles. Reliability, durability, weight, size and energy storage will also be key focuses during development.

Although Chrysler will acquire varying technological advances courtesy of the project, McMaster students involved will gain vital experience in a rapidly growing development in the automotive industry as well as potential job opportunities for graduate students.

The five-year plan will be split into three phases, with the final phase set for 2018.