ULTRAN - Ultra-Lightweight Transmission & Driveline

A car transmission and driveline that weighs significantly less than today’s versions will be designed, built, and tested by a consortium including Jaguar Land Rover, Tata Steel, and three UK universities. The problem is straightforward: a heavy drivetrain wastes fuel and increases CO₂ emissions. Current lightweighting approaches have hit practical limits with conventional materials and manufacturing. This project aims to break through those limits by combining sustainable materials—new steels and lubricants—with novel manufacturing processes and advanced computer-aided analysis. The goal is a step-change in weight reduction, not incremental improvement. If successful, the technology could cut fuel consumption and emissions from passenger cars without sacrificing performance or handling. Crucially, the project targets equivalent cost to today’s technology, meaning the weight savings could reach production vehicles without a price premium. The impact would be felt across automotive supply chains, from material suppliers to tier-one component manufacturers, and ultimately by drivers who would pay less for fuel while emitting less CO₂. The research is applied and industry-led, with a clear path to commercial deployment.