Call for niche commercial vehicle R&D projects15 May 2012

Cenex, the Technology Strategy Board and the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) have formally opened a joint call for collaborative R&D projects under the Niche Vehicle R&D Programme.

The call for bids for grant-funded collaborative R&D opens on 1 June and closes on 31 July 2012.

Applications are being invited from UK niche vehicle manufacturers and suppliers with two or more collaborative partners wanting to conduct a project (maximum six months duration) to develop a new product or process around the theme of carbon reduction and lightweight vehicle technologies.

Rob Anderson, programme manager for the Niche Vehicle Network at Cenex, makes the point that costs for R&D often prohibit small manufacturers from improving their products and processes.

This programme, he says, is designed to overcome these obstacles, and assist commercial vehicle manufacturers in investing in R&D.

"Cenex has been supporting niche automotive companies to bring innovative new products to the market for over five years," states Anderson.

"Our programme complements the funding available from OLEV and the Technology Strategy Board Low Carbon Vehicles Innovation Platform, and enables us to continue to support companies across the UK," he adds.

"We are very pleased to support this new call for collaborative research and development in the UK niche vehicle sector," comments Tim O'Brien, innovation platform leader for low carbon vehicles at the Technology Strategy Board.

"This forms part of our extensive programme to accelerate the pace of innovation in low carbon vehicles and help bring new technologies towards commercialisation."

Author
John Challen

Related Companies
CENEX
Innovate UK

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