LowCVP launches HGV technology challenge15 July 2010

The Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership (LowCVP) launched a new challenge to find new carbon technologies for HGVs yesterday at its annual conference in Twickenham.

Greg Archer, LowCVP managing director, says: "Efficient road freight distribution is a foundation of successful economies. There is a range of emerging technologies which achieve this, benefiting both the economy and the environment."

And he adds: "Our challenge is designed to accelerate the development and integration of technologies for lower carbon trucks by connecting the most promising UK technology companies with leading vehicle manufacturers and operators."

The Technology Challenge is sponsored by CENEX, the UK's Centre for Excellence for Low Carbon and Fuel Cell Technologies; and the FTA (Freight Transport Association).

Archer explains that the LowCVP Technology Challenge is open to "products or systems that improve fuel efficiency, reduce losses, or reduce energy consumption" – all of which ultimately result in lower CO2 emissions from HGVs.

Winners, he says, will be selected by a panel of expert assessors, reviewing the solution's technical merit, commercial viability, environmental benefits and potential for commercialisation within three years.

Winning organisations will have the opportunity to work with senior executives of vehicle manufacturers, component suppliers and major fleet operators. They will also present their technology at another LowCVP event later this year.

Last year's Technology Challenge winners met senior executives from Nissan, Jaguar Land Rover, Ford, Tata Motors, General Motors, McLaren Automotive, Modec, Alexander Dennis, SMTC UK, Denso, GKN, Kautex-Unipart, Shell International and TRW. Several of the winners have since established new business relationships as a result.

Guy Morris, engineering director and CTO at Controlled Power Technologies, one of the 2009 Technology Challenge winners, says: "As a winner of the challenge, the opportunity to present to a room packed with potential customers was pretty unique and gave a real boost to awareness of CPT's stop-start, engine-boosting and power regeneration technology. Normally it would take months of effort to meet this number of decision makers."

And David Tonery, managing director of Oxy-Gen Combustion, adds: "Winning the LowCVP Technology Challenge raised awareness of our HCCI control technology not just at a national level but internationally, with interest from prospective customers and co-developers around the world."

Author
Brian Tinham

Related Companies
Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership

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