CASE Centre webinar series

The first webinar and networking as an inauguration event were on 21 March 2022. Chaired by Professor Hongming Xu, this event marked the formal kick-off of this new establishment. Professor Clive Roberts, Head of the School of Engineering, and Professor David Bailey of Business Economics delivered their talks respectively. Prof Clive Roberts introduced the background of the School of Engineering and activities in the Birmingham Transport Research and Education Centre. Prof David Bailey introduced his recent study into big trends in the motor industry from the perspective of policies, economics, politics, and business. The event was attended onsite by managers from industry companies including AVL Powertrain UK, MAHLE Powertrain, Lotus Group, We Predict, Ecobat and UBIPOS UK with several other industrial partners online. The event was watched by more than 23 thousand online through the live-streaming service provided by Gasgoo.

The CASE Centre held its second webinar on 11 May 2022. The event invited Professor Marina Gashinova, Chair in Pervasive Sensing and Professor Emma Kendrick, Chair of Energy Materials to present their research. Prof Gashinova delivered a presentation on “Automotive radar from the viewpoint of relevant research and development trends”, and the topic of Prof Kendrick’s presentation was “sustainability in battery manufacturing and parametric battery modelling methods”. The attendees of this event include Richard Burden, former member of Parliament of the United Kingdom; Corinna Fletcher, Director of Group Lotus Organization Development; Tony Duan, Fuel cell specialist, CHANGAN UK R&D Centre; George Ye, Managing director, UBIPOS UK Ltd. With the support from Gasgoo, the event was streamed live online with over 28 thousand viewers following online.

The third webinar was held on 11 July 2022. The webinar invited Prof. Yulong Ding RAEng and Prof. Robert Steinberger-Wilckens to give speeches on the topic of energy in transportation, followed by a live Q&A session between the online audience and the participants. Prof Ding talked about the topic of “energy issues in transportation”, and the topic of Prof Steinberger-Wilckens is "Zero Carbon Fossil Fuels". The webinar was hosted by Prof. Hongming Xu, Director of the C.A.S.E. Centre for Automotive Research and Education in Birmingham and was watched live by over 15,000 people.

The CASE Centre held an industry forum as its fourth webinar on 27 Sep 2022. Dr Tony Duan, technical specialist from CHANGAN UK R&D Centre (a big-three Chinese OEM) and Tom Witcomb, chief engineer from Lotus group (a leading sports car manufacturer) were invited to deliver presentations in the industry forum. The topic of Dr Duan’s presentation was “Overview of fuel cell vehicle and its system related control development”, and Tom talked about “The electrified future of sports car powertrains”. The webinar was chaired by Professor Hongming Xu, Director of the C.A.S.E. Centre for Automotive Research and Education in Birmingham, and was streamed live online by Gasgoo, with over 27,000 viewers following the event online.

The Birmingham CASE Automotive Research and Education Centre recently hosted a roundtable on commercial vehicles and new energy developments. Supported by Silverstone Technology Centre, the Northern Automotive Alliance, and the UK Chinese Society of Automotive Engineers, the event featured notable speakers including industry experts and professionals from academia and renowned organisations.

Presentations covered various topics such as the design of new materials for Li-ion batteries, strategies for recycling them, challenges, and opportunities of low-carbon fuels, and the decarbonization of transportation. The online event drew an audience of over 5,000 viewers and facilitated engaging discussions and exchanges during the Q&A session.

Find out more: China-Britain Business Council holds Auto Roundtable in collaboration with University of Birmingham

The Birmingham CASE Automotive Research and Education Centre recently held its sixth webinar on April 27th, 2023. Professor Peter Slater focused on the design of new materials for Li-ion batteries and strategies to recycle them. He discussed the issues concerning the recycling technologies for Li-ion batteries and expressed his vision for advancements in high-performance lithium battery research. Professor Athanasios Tsolakis discussed the challenges and opportunities of low-carbon fuels. He analysed the major challenges faced by low-carbon fuel studies, examined the synergies and interactions. During the Q&A session, the online audience actively participated and engaged in in-depth discussions with the speaker.

The 7th Webinar of Birmingham C.A.S.E. Automotive Research and Education Centre focused on Automotive Battery was held on 21 September 2023. The event benefited from livestreaming support by Gasoo Automotive and featured two prominent speakers: Dr Mike Bassett, Engineering Director at MAHLE Powertrain Ltd., and Dr Yongjing Wang, Associate Professor at the University of Birmingham.

Professor Hongming Xu, the Director of the Centre, Chaired the Webinar and presented an in introduction including accomplishments of the previous six webinars while outlining the future direction of the centre. Dr Bassett introduced MAHLE Powertrain's groundbreaking reconfigurable battery module, which holds the promise of delivering customized high-performance battery packs incorporating an advanced cooling concept. Dr Yongjing Wang delved into the recent advancements in robotic disassembly technologies developed at the University of Birmingham, with a particular emphasis on their potential applications within the automotive industry.

This event served as a platform to unite distinguished figures in the field, facilitating the advancement of automotive research and the exchange of cutting-edge technology. The webinar attracted an impressive total of 7,894 online viewers, further underlining its significance and impact.

 

The 8th webinar was successfully hosted by Professor Hongming Xu, Director of the Birmingham C.A.S.E. Automotive Research and Education Centre on 5 December 2023, with livestream support from Gasgoo Automotive. The event garnered widespread attention, attracting over 16k online audiences.

During the webinar, Professor Paul Anderson, Co-Director of the Birmingham Centre for Strategic Elements and Critical Materials at the University of Birmingham, and Mr. Jason Hu, Deputy Director of Programme Management at London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC), Geely, delivered insightful speeches. Professor Xu provided an overview of the agenda and discussed the experiences from previous editions. He also outlined the future development direction and goals of the Centre.

Professor Anderson's presentation focused on "The Elements & Alchemy of the Net Zero Transition," covering the diverse elements essential for modern technologies, the efficient management of the earth's elemental resources as a crucial factor for an effective and equitable net-zero transition, and a commitment to net-zero waste for a sustainable future.

Following this, Mr. Hu explored "The Future of Green Mobility," delving into insights on electric disruptions in commercial transportation, evolving business models, and technological developments. The webinar brought together distinguished representatives in the field, fostering technological exchange and research development within the automotive industry.

On March 19 2024, the Birmingham C.A.S.E. Automotive Research and Education Centre held its 9th webinar with on-site livestream support from Gasgoo Automotive Company. The event garnered significant attention, attracting over 20,000 online viewers and dozens of attendees present at the venue. The webinar was a panel discussion on "How Fast Will the Automotive Energy Transition Take Place?" Director of the Centre, Professor Hongming Xu chaired the webinar, outlining the centre's future development direction and goals. Professor David Bailey of the Business School of Birmingham University, the government consultant, delivered a talk on the automotive business. Professor Gautam Kalghatgi, ex-Shell principal scientist and Aramco expert, and Professor Huw Williams, Director of Deep Power and ex-JLR senior specialist, attended and spoke on world energy transition and UK Auto industry approaches, respectively. Dr Guoxiang Lu, Director of the Product R&D Centre at BYD Auto Industry Co, and Mr Mark Xu, Director of Industrial Innovation at CBBC, participated in the webinar online, giving talks on new energy cars and China-Britain business cooperation, respectively. The online/offline discussions and active audience participation led to a good exchange of views on Automotive Energy Transition from various perspectives. The webinar is expected to positively contribute to the development of automotive energy transition and automotive industry.

 

On 28 June 2024, the Birmingham CASE Automotive Research and Education Centre hosted its 10^th webinar regarding energy policy with on-site livestream support from Gasgoo Automotive Company. The event garnered significant attention, attracting over 20,000 online viewers and many attendees present on site. The webinar commenced with an introduction by Professor Hongming Xu, he outlined today’s agenda and shortly summarized the experiences of past webinars. The first presentatin was delivered by Dr Georgios Fontaras, Research Project Manager at the European Commission's Joint Research Centre. His talk, titled "Road Vehicle Decarbonisation Current EU Situation and Insights From Recent Policy," focused on the EU's electrification trajectory and the development of a zero-emission fleet. Then Professor Robert Elliott, Director of Research at the Department of Economics, University of Birmingham, presented his findings on "Do Electric Vehicles Match Longevity of Internal-Combustion Engine Vehicles? Estimates from 300 Million MOT Test Results in Great Britain." His discussion highlighted the increasing longevity of electric vehicles (EVs) and the variety of EV technologies currently in use. With active engagement and discussion from the audience, the webinar offered valuable market perspectives on the current state and future outlook of automotive development, fostering knowledge sharing and innovation within the industry.

 

On September 23, 2024, the Birmingham C.A.S.E. Automotive Research and Education Centre held its 11th webinar, drawing over 15,000 livestream viewers worldwide. Supported by Gasgoo Automotive Company as the media partner, the event focused on advancing carbon-neutral transportation solutions.

Chaired by Professor Hongming Xu, Director of the Centre, the webinar explored two pivotal topics: de-fossilised fuels for internal combustion engines (ICEs) and ammonia engines. The session featured distinguished speakers: Professor Roger Cracknell of Shell, Senior Principal Science Expert at Shell Global Solutions, presenting on combustion and lubricity challenges for de-fossilised fuels, and Dr. Dawei Wu, Associate Professor from the University of Birmingham, discussing ammonia engines and sustainable energy solutions.

A dynamic Q&A session followed, emphasizing the technological and economic challenges of these innovations. Attendees from academia, industry, and research sectors underscored the importance of collaboration in overcoming barriers to adoption.

As global interest in decarbonizing transport grows, the Birmingham CASE Centre remains a leader in sustainable automotive research, driving progress toward a cleaner future.

 

On 7 December, the "2024 China-UK Automotive Cooperation Forum and the Annual Conference of the UK Chinese Society of Automotive Engineers" was held at the University of Birmingham. The forum brought together researchers, industry experts, and government representatives from both China and the UK to discuss collaboration opportunities and the future development of the automotive sector.

Ge Hongde, BYD's National Manager for the UK and Ireland, emphasized that with BYD's growing influence in the European market, the company will continue to provide innovative and cost-effective electric products to the UK, including pure electric buses and energy storage solutions. In a video address, Chris Mason, CEO of the Fédération Internationale des Sociétés des Ingénieurs des Techniques de l'Automobile (FISITA), highlighted China's leading role in electric vehicle technology innovation and the significant potential for collaboration with the UK.

Ken Wood, Councillor and Mayor of Birmingham, noted in his speech that strengthening China-UK cooperation in the automotive sector would result in mutual benefits and pledged to support future partnerships. Experts such as Professor Karl Dearn, Dean of the School of Engineering at the University of Birmingham; Professor Zhao Hua, Vice-Chancellor of Brunel University; Jon Caine, Technical Director at AVL; and Roger Cracknell, Senior Principal Science Expert at Shell, discussed advancements in zero-carbon and carbon-neutral powertrain technologies and the role of alternative fuels in transportation.

The forum, organized by the UK Chinese Society of Automotive Engineers (UKCSAE), attracted over 100 attendees in person and over 30,000 online viewers via Gasgoo's live streaming platform. Professor Xu Hongming, President of UKCSAE and the Global Alliance of Overseas Chinese Automotive Engineers (GAOCSAE), and a professor at the University of Birmingham, reviewed the association’s achievements over the past five years and expressed optimism for future cooperation. He stated that the association will continue to foster technological innovation and industry upgrades between China and the UK, contributing to the global goal of carbon neutrality.