A look beyond electrification. The future of the car as it undergoes its most significant transition in response to an increasingly complex world.
The passenger car, one of the most familiar objects in our daily lives is undergoing its most dramatic
transformation since its invention. The change is being driven by climate pressures, new regulations, and
rapid advances in technology. With “passenger cars contributing around 3.2 billion tonnes of CO₂ per
year,” governments around the world are pushing for cleaner transport, and many have set deadlines for
ending the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles.
Electric cars are at the heart of this shift. Early models offered modest range and performance, but
today’s battery‑electric vehicles (BEV) can travel hundreds of miles and rival traditional cars in comfort
and capability. Yet the transition is far from simple. The UK, for example, has around one million electric
or plug‑in hybrid cars on the road, but needs “12 million BEVs on the road by 2030” to stay on track for its
climate goals. Building enough public chargers, securing battery materials, and keeping new EVs
affordable are major challenges.
In this lecture Terry Spall will also look beyond electrification. Self‑driving technologies are progressing,
with robotaxis already operating in parts of the United States, yet public acceptance remains cautious,
with only “23% comfortable in a self-driving car at 70mph. Meanwhile, a new generation of electric flying
vehicles—eVTOLs—promises to reshape short‑distance travel in the coming decades. Together, these
developments point to a future where mobility is cleaner, smarter, and more diverse than anything we’ve
known before.
The future of the car as it undergoes its most significant transition in response to an increasingly complex
world will be explored—a challenging journey, but one whose potential benefits for the environment, for
cities, and for everyday life are enormous
Speaker
Mr Spall is a Chartered Mechanical Engineer, a Fellow and 135th
President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Honorary Fellow
of UCLAN and Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineers. He has spent
most of his career in the automotive industry working in research and
development for vehicle manufacturers and spent 25 years at MIRA. He
has extensive international experience in China, Korea, Japan, India and
many other automotive nations. He was a founder director of MIRA
Tech Park and led its commercial development for 10 years, during
which it gained global recognition as a centre of excellence in mobility technology, securing the Queen’s
Award for Enterprise for International Trade in 2018.
Since 2020 he has built a portfolio career with several non-exec positions and consultancy assignments,
with the last 2 years supporting the water sector. He particularly enjoys working with start-up companies
helping them to secure funding, develop and commercialise. He is also a member of the Advanced
Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative Investment Board, which has helped many SME’s facing market
failure scenarios. Outside of work, Terry is a keen mountaineer and fell walker. With experience in the
Alps, Atlas Mountains and Himalayas and last year completed all 214 Wainwright’s in the Lake District.