Fifth International Conference on Advanced Vehicle Powertrains concludes at UNNC

27 November 2025

Ningbo, China – The Fifth International Conference on Advanced Vehicle Powertrains (ICAVP2025) successfully took place from 21-23 November at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC). The conference is jointly organized by the University of Nottingham Ningbo China, Beihang University’s Ningbo Institute of Technology, Zhejiang University of Science & Technology, and National Technical University of Athens (International Joint Laboratory on Advanced Vehicles and Powertrains). It brought together leading global experts to explore cutting-edge topics in powertrain innovation, digitalization, renewable energy, and zero-emission technologies.


Under the leadership of Conference Chair Professor Christos Spitas, Head of the Department of Mechanical, Materials, and Manufacturing Engineering at UNNC, along with the Program Chair Dr Dunant Halim and the Organizing Committee Chair Professor Xubin Song, the event facilitated dynamic exchanges both online and on-site.

Six distinguished keynote speakers shared groundbreaking insights:

Professor John Zhou from UNNC demonstrated remote sensing technology for monitoring vehicle emissions in Hong Kong, offering innovative solutions for urban air quality management.

Professor Giampaolo Buticchi from UNNC introduced advanced thermal control strategies to enhance the reliability of next-generation green transport systems.

Professor Peng Dong from Beihang University, on behalf of Prof. Xiangyang Xu, presented breakthroughs in multi-speed dedicated hybrid transmissions, highlighting China’s growing expertise in hybrid technology.

Professor Karsten Stahl from the Technical University of Munich showcased high-speed electric drive systems achieving up to 90% higher power density.

Professor Qingkai Han from Northeastern University proposed an intelligent monitoring system for high-speed micro-turbines, enabling predictive maintenance with 98% fault recognition accuracy.

Professor Christos Papadopoulos from the National Technical University of Athens presented a digital twin framework combining AI and physical models to advance intelligent shipping systems.

Parallel sessions featured innovative research from world leading institutions such as Tsinghua University, Technical University of Munich, and Beihang University, as well as industry partners including Shaanxi Fast Auto Drive Group and Shanghai Shenli Tech. Topics ranged from zero-carbon fuel applications and intelligent transmission optimization to AI-driven fault diagnosis.

Awards were presented to recognize outstanding contributions. The Best Paper Award went to a collaborative study from Tsinghua University and Shanghai Shenli Tech on laser-induced hydrophilic patterning for proton exchange membrane fuel cells, while the Best Student Paper Award was granted to Kun Yao from Beihang University for developing a global energy management strategy for hybrid electric vehicles.

By fostering in-depth dialogue between academia and industry, ICAVP2025 served as a vital platform to accelerate the global transition toward efficient, zero-carbon, and intelligent vehicle powertrain systems.