Projects to develop clean vehicles and tech to share £33m

Five projects which aim to develop low-carbon vehicles and technology will receive a share £33 million government funding through the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC).

Projects range from the development of high-performance battery packs and electrified construction equipment, to hydrogen-powered engines - as well as helping support the establishment of future supply chains.

McLaren Group in Woking is one such organisation, benefiting from £9.8 million new investment towards its ESCAPE project. This will create a complete end-to-end supply chain for a key component to be used in all electrified vehicles, whether automotive, railway, marine or aviation – a first for the UK.

Tata Motors European Technical Centre will receive funding for its ZETE project, which will develop an ultra-clean engine that reduces emissions in high pollutant sectors including heavy haulage, rail and shipping.

Unipart Powertrain Applications has a project called tH1perChain which will strengthen the UK’s battery industry by providing a cost-effective route for UK-manufactured batteries into domestic and export markets.

Caterpillar will take part in a joint project with AVID Technology to develop a fully electrified construction machine.

YASA will receive funding for the EV-LIFT project, which aims to produce a best-in-class Electronic Drive Unit (EDU) for next generation battery electric vehicles (BEVs).

Ian Constance, Chief Executive of the Advanced Propulsion Centre, said: "Supporting the development of cutting-edge low carbon vehicle technology is crucial to ensuring we have a robust supply chain that enables the future of the UK automotive industry.

"The wide range of projects awarded funding is proof that there isn’t one answer to reducing transport emissions. We must continue to collaborate across sectors in order to boost innovation in many aspects of the industry so we can take advantage of export opportunities to other markets."