The Evoque_e programme will last two years and is run by the UK government’s Technology Strategy Board. It will develop three research vehicles, featuring next generation mild hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery-electric drivetrains to test the latest technology.

Jaguar Land Rover is to provide £4m of funding, and will lead a consortium of eight industry partners includingZytek Automotive, GKN Driveline, Motor Design Limited, AVL, Drive System Design, Williams Advanced Engineering and Delta Motorsport, plus Bristol, Cranfield and Newcastle Universities.

Research will include examining how to produce smaller, lighter yet faster and cheaper motors, which are also more durable and use fewer rare earth materials, and could inform future high volume production.

Peter Richings, Jaguar Land Rover director hybrids and electrification, said: ‘The aim of the project is to develop technology platforms which are configurable and compatible within the architecture of an existing production vehicle. The modular technologies include single and multi-speed axle drives; modular battery packs and integrated power electronics, multi-machine, advanced control development and torque vectoring.’