Member Article

£56m for low-carbon transport projects

Public and private sector investment, totalling £56m is set to contribute to the development and demonstration of low carbon technologies.

Over £27m of public funding from the Office for Low Emission Vehicles and the Technology Strategy Board, together with £29m of private sector funding, will be invested in seventeen major research development and validation projects.

The projects will be led by major manufacturers such as Ford, and Nissan, and will involve SMEs in the supply and development work.

Transport Minister, Norman Baker MP, said: “Accelerating the commercialisation of low carbon vehicle technologies will help to achieve our challenging climate change targets as well as creating new jobs, and increasing opportunities for UK businesses on the world stage.

Business and Enterprise Minister, Mark Prisk MP, said: “By working with industry to invest in innovative research and development we are putting the UK at the cutting edge of low carbon vehicle technology - delivering long term benefits for the economy and the environment.

“The aim of the projects is to strengthen UK capability by encouraging a reduction of costs in the supply base and a faster adoption of new technologies on UK roads, with a focus on pulling technology through the various stages of the innovation chain.”

Some of the projects will develop drive systems, technologies aimed at young drivers, and weight-reduction component reinforcement.

Iain Gray, Chief Executive of the Technology Strategy Board, commented: “We were extremely impressed by the number and quality of the ideas presented to us. These include proposals for development and validation activity that follow-on from previous early-stage projects funded by the Technology Strategy Board and it is great to see that these ideas will be brought closer to market through this new investment.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .