The UK government has announced an investment of more than £50m for 30 manufacturing projects designed to to advance clean, green technologies and stimulate economic growth through job creation.
The funding initiative, which includes an £11m grant awarded to 12 fast-start projects through the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC), aims to expedite the development of innovative automotive products, ranging from motorcycles to buses and cars.
With industry match-funding, the projects will receive a total of £22.7m within the next 12 months.
Among the notable recipients of the grants are White Motorcycle Concepts, which is developing a rapid-charge first responder motorcycle for emergency services; Dolphin N2, working on a hydrogen-fuelled farm tractor powered by renewables; and Wrightbus, which is developing zero-emission hydrogen fuel-cell electric coaches.
Additionally, the UK Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) is contributing £18.5m in R&D grant funding for 43 British companies. Some 13 of these projects focus on self-driving technologies, products, and services, with winners including Wayve, Nissan, and Zero Point Motion.
UK decarbonisation and technology minister Jesse Norman said: “Self-driving vehicles have the potential to transform how we get around, making journeys safer, more convenient and more accessible while also creating skilled jobs.
“These grant winners underline how the UK is at the cutting edge in developing automated technologies that are not only innovative but have safety at their heart.”
In parallel, the Faraday Institution will invest £19m in four battery research projects to reduce production costs and enhance performance, with a focus on sodium-ion batteries, which are reportedly known for their sustainability and safety advantages.
The Faraday Battery Challenge (FBC) has also allocated £3.2m to three universities to address the skills needs of the UK’s regional battery industries.
What’s more, £5.5m will be used to establish a Medicines Manufacturing Skills Centre of Excellence, bolstering training provision to support growth and job creation in the sector.
Innovations and achievements in clean vehicle technologies will be highlighted and celebrated at the second annual CiTTi Awards on 21 November 2023 at the De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Visit www.cittiawards.co.uk to learn more about this unmissable event for the UK’s transportation sector – and to book your table today!
