Low-emission ground transportation

Our expertise

Through the R&D work done at the NRC's Automotive and Surface Transportation Research Centre, the NRC has become a key player in helping industry, government and academia develop, test and integrate innovations to decarbonize the ground transportation industry.

The wide range of services offered by the Centre's Clean and Energy Efficient Transportation program are dedicated to helping develop vehicle technologies that meet industry needs. The program also supports other government departments and organizations, such as Transport Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada and Natural Resources Canada, by providing evidence-based data for policy development.

In addition, the research centre's Advanced Manufacturing program assists equipment manufacturers in the automotive and ground transportation sectors across their value chains. This assistance includes developing smart and advanced manufacturing solutions to reduce vehicle weight and increase the competitiveness and sustainability of Canadian manufacturers.

Our activities are focused on 10 critical research areas:

• Aerodynamics
• Autonomous vehicles
• Battery integration, testing and safety
• Electrical machines
• Fleet energy efficiency
• Hydrogen applications
• Logistics optimization
• Smart and digital manufacturing
• Sustainable materials and smart parts
• Vehicle lightweighting

Programs

Discover other NRC programs that support Canada's climate resilience transportation goals:

• Low-emission Aviation program
• Materials for Clean Fuels Challenge program
• Advanced Clean Energy program

Facilities and labs

Learn more about the NRC's facilities and labs that can help you develop, test and validate your low-carbon technologies:

• Aluminium Technology Centre
• Battery performance and safety evaluation research facility
• Climatic testing research facility
• Hydrogen Laboratory
• Manufacturing and Automotive Innovation Hub
• Pilot-scale battery manufacturing line facility
• 9-metre wind tunnel research facility

Success stories

Learn more about our significant milestones and accomplishments in the field of low-carbon transportation:

• On the road to greener public transit with the NRC
• Towards a net zero emission railway system with hydrogen-powered trains
• NRC lithium-ion battery safety test sparks international acclaim
• NRC collaborates in the development of a new electrically driven mining vehicle
• Reducing the carbon footprint of vehicles with the NRC's SNAP Composites industrial R&D group
• From research to the road: Collaborations create AI-driven planner for truck routes

Client services

We provide a variety of specialized advisory services for developing, optimizing and testing technology solutions to improve vehicle efficiency, infrastructure performance, economics and safety. Backed by our experts and facilities dedicated to ground transportation, we can work with you to advance your new low-carbon technologies:

• Collaborative R&D: Research expertise to help you advance your R&D projects
• Technical services: Technical expertise to help you help mature your technology and take it to the next level

Targeted industries

Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), parts and systems manufacturers, raw material producers, technology developers and integrators, system integrators, fleet operators.