£11 million funding for low carbon van technology 15 October 2014

The government yesterday (14 October 2014) committed the first £11 million of funding to accelerate R&D into carbon emissions cutting technologies for the vans and cars of tomorrow.

DfT (Department for Transport) concedes that plug-in cars and some other ultra low emission vehicles (ULEVs) are already available, with sales gradually gathering pace, but this funding, it says, is to support further growth.

The new funding is in addition to the £4 million already committed by Innovate UK (formerly the Technology Strategy Board) for its Adapting cutting-edge technologies competition, opened for industrial technology bidders.

"This new £11m for R&D shows our support to UK companies leading the way to cleaner and greener transport technologies," insists transport minister Baroness Kramer.

"By 2040, we expect virtually all new cars and vans to be using carbon-cutting technology, and we want to see as much of this as possible designed and built here, in the UK, delivering economic as well as environmental benefits."

"Our automotive industry has been completely revitalised over the last decade and – with a new lease of life – a new vehicle rolls off a UK production line every 20 seconds," comments business minister Matthew Hancock.

"As part of our long-term economic plan, investments like this will make sure that Britain is the leading light of the automotive industry – developing green technologies and creating thousands of new jobs."

By co-funding the Adapting cutting-edge technologies competition with Innovate UK, DfT believes it is increasing the opportunities for UK industry to progress further and faster in low emission technologies.

Author
Brian Tinham

Related Companies
Department for Transport

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