Long-range electric cars, ultra-fast charging batteries and hydrogen-powered truck engines are among several green vehicle technology innovations that have secured a £ 91.7 million share, the government announced yesterday
Funding was channeled through the Advanced Propulsion Center’s (APC) latest research and development competition and has been awarded to four projects in England to help make electric vehicles more affordable, efficient and convenient for drivers, according to the government.
A BMW-UK-BEV-led project in Oxford has a grant of 26.2 million to allay fears about the range fear of electric vehicles.
Another project in Birmingham, called CELERITAS, is expected to receive £ 9.7 million to make ultra-fast charging batteries for electric and fuel cell hybrid vehicles that are said to be able to charge in just 12 minutes.
In Darlington, the BRUNEL project received GBP 14.6 million to develop a novel zero-emission, hydrogen-powered engine for decarbonising heavy-duty vehicles, while the REEcorner project in Nuneaton received GBP 41.2 million for the radical redesign of light vehicles and medium vehicles – large vehicles to improve their efficiency.
Collectively, the government said the four projects have the potential to save nearly 32 million tons of CO2 emissions – the equivalent of the lifetime emissions of 1.3 million cars – and save over 2,700 jobs across the country.
Investment Secretary Lord Grimstone said the funding would help Britain prepare for the end of sales of new gasoline and diesel cars in the UK by 2030.
“By investing tens of millions in the technology needed to decarbonise our roads, we are not only working hard to end our contribution to climate change, but we are also making sure that our automotive sector has a competitive future that has thousands of highly skilled jobs secures. ” he said. “Seizing the opportunities that arise from the global green automobile revolution is central to our plans to build greener again.
APC CO Ian Constance added, “These projects address some of the really important challenges in moving towards net-free roads, such as how we are decarbonizing public transport and the movement of goods.”