The UK’s Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has welcomed the announcement that GBP25m in government funding has been allocated to the winners of the Technology Strategy Board’s (TSB) ultra low carbon vehicle demonstrator competition.
The successful bids brought together car manufacturers, power companies, regional development agencies, councils and academic institutions and will operate across eight UK locations to develop low carbon vehicles for consumers.
The winning consortia were:
· Coventry and Birmingham Low Emission Demonstrators (CABLED)
· Electric Vehicle Accelerated Development in the North East (EVADINE)
· Ford Focus Battery Electric Vehicle
· London South East Bid
· MINI E Research Project
· The Allied Vehicles Project
· PHV – Paving the way to full commercialisation of plug-in hybrid vehicles
· EEMS Accelerate
Highlighting the future direction of the UK, each will achieve a share of the funding as part of an ongoing commitment to accelerate the introduction of low carbon vehicles. The programme will provide incentives to develop and demonstrate new technologies in the UK and aims to help deliver the government’s target of an 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050.
“Ultra low carbon vehicles are now mainstream business for the UK motor industry and the TSB’s competition provides the ideal incentive to develop and demonstrate new technologies,” said SMMT chief executive Paul Everitt. “The collaborative nature of this project enhances the recommendations laid out by NAIGT and marks the beginning of an important new phase for the UK motor industry.”
The competition was created by the TSB to act as a catalyst for industry, the public sector and academia to come together to create low emission vehicles and innovative technologies for powering them. It is the biggest project of its kind to date and is claims to show “real technology that will be available in the next six to 18 months”.
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