UK Gov announces £91mn funding for low carbon auto tech
The department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy has announced that it will contribute £91.7mn in funding to advance low carbon auto tech.
As the UK works toward slashing emissions by 78% by 2035, The Department for Business Energy and industrial strategy (BEIS) has announced that it will contribute £91.7mn in funding to advance green auto tech to help drive this achievement. The funding will help develop the technology needed to increase the performance and take-up of electric vehicles. So far, BEIS has invested in four projects that stand to save nearly 32 million tonnes of carbon emissions and secure over 2,700 jobs across the country.
low carbon auto tech companies awarded funding
BMW-UK-BEV
Located in Oxford, BEIS has awarded BMW-UK-BEV with £26.6mn in order to develop an electric battery with the potential to rival the driving range of internal combustion engines. BMW-UK-BEV hopes to set concerns regarding the longevity of electric vehicles.
Andreas Loehrke, Head of Research and Design for BMW Motorsport Ltd. UK said: “This is a really exciting opportunity to collaborate with world-leading companies to develop high tech battery technology. It strengthens our UK partner base and safeguards and extends our research and design centre.”
Project CELERITAS
Located in Birmingham, BEIS has awarded Project CELERITAS with £9.7mn to develop ultra-fast charging batteries for electric fuel cell hybrid vehicles. Project CELERITAS plans to develop these batteries to charge in 12 minutes.
The Founder and CEO of Sprint Power, Richie Frost, said: “As we move steadily towards the UK’s ban on new petrol and diesel combustion engine vehicles in 2030, tackling consumers’ concerns on EVs head-on is critical. We are delighted to be leading this pioneering project that will create a step-change in battery charge times, helping to create highly efficient fuel cell vehicles for the future and accelerating the charging time on battery electric vehicles significantly closer to refuelling times on today’s internal combustion engine cars.”
The BRUNEL project
Located in Darlington, BEIS has awarded £14.6mn to develop a novel zero-emission, hydrogen-fuelled engine. The main objective of this engine is to help decarbonise heavy goods vehicles.
Jonathan Atkinson, Executive Director of Cummins On-highway Business in Europe, said: “Confirmation of the strategic support awarded by APC is excellent news for Cummins and our world-class research and development facility in Darlington. This project will significantly accelerate the pace of hydrogen engine development, ensuring that the UK is in the vanguard of this exciting new technology which will play a significant part in decarbonising the global commercial vehicle fleet.”
REEcorner
Located in Nuneaton, BEIS has awarded £41.2 million to redesign light and medium-sized commercial electric vehicles in Nuneaton radically. REEcorner will seek to do this by moving the steering, breaking, suspension and powertrain into the wheel arch, enabling increased autonomous capability, storage space and design flexibility.
On REECorner, Mike Charlton, REE Chief Operating Officer, said: “REE is delighted to have been selected as the recipient of APC funding to support REE investment in the UK automotive ecosystem, and we look forward to jointly working with our consortium partners. The UK is an ideal location for a pioneering automotive company like REE, thanks to the country’s commitment to vehicle electrification, which dovetails with our vision towards propelling a zero-emissions, greener future for our generation and those to come.”
Fast-tracking sustainability
The UK government has already announced its plans to end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in the UK by 2030, and this is a key step in achieving that. This goal sets the UK on a path to become the fastest major economy to decarbonise cars and vans. The projects awarded funding today will help make the technological developments needed to meet these goals.
Minister for Investment Lord Grimstone said: “By investing tens of millions in the technology needed to decarbonise our roads, not only are we working hard to end our contribution to climate change, but also ensuring our automotive sector has a competitive future that will secure thousands of highly-skilled jobs.”
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“Seizing the opportunities that arise from the global green automotive revolution is central to our plans to build back greener, and these winning projects will help make the widespread application and adoption of cutting-edge, clean automotive technology a reality,” he added.
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