£89m funding boost for innovative electric vehicle initiatives

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【Summary】The UK government has announced £89m in funding for 20 electric vehicle (EV) projects. The funding will support the development of the EV supply chain, zero-emission off-road vehicles, and battery performance. The projects will cut emissions by nearly 65 million tonnes over the next decade and safeguard over 4,700 jobs. The funding includes collaborative R&D projects, scale-up projects, and feasibility studies. Aston Martin and Perkins are among the companies receiving funding.

FutureCar Staff Oct 09, 2023 11:20 PM PT

£89m funding boost for innovative electric vehicle initiatives

The government has announced the allocation of £89m in funding for 20 green transport technology projects. The projects aim to enhance the UK's electric vehicle (EV) supply chain, develop zero emission off-road vehicles, and improve battery performance. This funding, distributed through four innovation funding competitions, is expected to safeguard over 4,700 jobs and reduce emissions by approximately 65 million tonnes over the next decade.

The funding package consists of four collaborative R&D projects, five scale-up projects to assess the readiness of businesses in the automotive sector for growth, and seven feasibility studies to prepare for the development of large-scale manufacturing facilities in the UK. The Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC) is responsible for awarding the funding, with the government contributing £45.2m and the automotive industry committing £42.7m.

Minister for Industry and Economic Security Nusrat Ghani stated that the government, in collaboration with the industry, is providing £89m to support 20 groundbreaking net-zero tech projects. The aim is to boost the economy and create jobs in future industries. Ghani emphasized the importance of backing UK innovators to maintain the country's leadership in zero emission vehicle technology.

The funding will support various projects, including Aston Martin's development of a luxury battery electric vehicle platform and Perkins' work on a hydrogen-hybrid integrated power system for off-road vehicles. Ian Constance, CEO of the APC, expressed pride in the impact the organisation has had over the last 10 years, with over £1.4bn invested in automotive projects. He highlighted the diverse set of Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and suppliers receiving awards, which will contribute to the UK's net-zero ambitions.

Through the APC's Collaborative R&D programme, over £67m has been awarded, while an additional £11.3m has been granted to 12 UK-based projects through the SuRV competition and the APC's Automotive Transformation Fund (ATF) feasibility studies competition. The SuRV programme supports initiatives such as Green Lithium's lithium scale-up plant in Teesside and Ilika Technologies' acceleration of solid-state battery technology scale-up.

The ATF Feasibility Studies programme funding will aid the development of "decision-ready business cases" for projects aiming to establish large-scale manufacturing facilities in the UK. Among the seven projects receiving funding are Cornish Lithium's graphite processing plant for EV battery anode material and Aberdeen Minerals Limited's study of innovative mineral processing routes.

The Niche Vehicle Network (NVN) Production Readiness Competition has provided the final tranche of funding, with £1.1m awarded to four projects. These include a zero emission Ariel Nomad performance off-road vehicle and a UK-made electric scooter from Swifty Scooters.

In related news, the Labour party has announced plans to reverse the government's decision to delay the ban on the sale of new internal combustion engine cars and vans from 2030 to 2035. Shadow Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds argues that restoring the original 2030 target would provide clarity to the auto industry and encourage investment in the EV supply chain. Labour's sectoral plan for the auto industry will also include the possibility of co-funding new battery gigafactories, expediting planning processes, and implementing binding targets for local authorities to develop EV charging infrastructure.

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