PhD student awarded 2018 Piers Sellers Prize for exceptional research

Kate Palmer, PhD student at the Institute for Transport Studies, has been awarded a 2018 Piers Sellers Prize for exceptional PhD research.

The prize was judged by the Priestley Centre Management Committee on the basis of one or more high-quality publications, research outputs and impact resulting from PhD research.

The panel were impressed by Palmer's excellent research on electric vehicles. Palmer co-authored an article with Dr James Tate, Dr Zia Wadud and Dr John Nellthorp, entitled ‘Total cost of ownership and market share for hybrid and electric vehicles in the UK, US and Japan’.

The article was published in the journal Applied Energy and is now one of the most downloaded papers.

The study found that electric cars are already cheaper to own and run than petrol or diesel cars in the UK, US and Japan. The research received extensive media coverage, including a feature in the Guardian.

Kate Palmer will receive her 2018 Piers Sellers Prize and give a short presentation at a prize-giving event on the 18 June.