The Government has announced an ambitious new plan to put the UK at the forefront of the design and manufacturing of zero emission vehicles.
A £106 million package for projects developing innovative green battery, vehicle and refuelling technology was unveiled by the Prime Minister at the UK’s first ever Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Summit in Birmingham.
The Prime Minister expressed her ambition for the UK to become a world leader in low emission technology as part of a drive to keep the country green. At the Summit, Theresa May announced:
- A £106 million funding boost for research and development in green vehicles, new batteries and low carbon technology.
- That industry would be providing over £500 million worth of investment, creating over 1,000 jobs across the UK.
- That she would host a roundtable on driving more foreign direct investment into the UK.
- That 11 countries have signed up to the UK’s new international declaration on low emissions, kick-starting a new era of global collaboration.
Excitingly Swindon is at the heart of these plans. The Research Council, based in Polaris House, has undertaken research on vehicle batteries, solutions for the UK’s urban infrastructure, and energy & transport challenges. This work is crucial in shaping the Governments policy on ZEV’s.
Another Swindon based organisation Powertrain is also playing a key part. Powertrain designs, manufactures and tests high performance engines, and has been given government backing to help its development of an electrically powered Classic Mini.
The announcements have been welcomed by North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson, who has been a keen advocate for low emission vehicles. His commitment and belief in such vehicles recently saw him trade in his standard diesel car for a more environmentally friendly hybrid car.
Justin Tomlinson MP said: “I am delighted that the Government has taken such a pro-active and ambitious approach to low emission technologies. Cutting emissions is vital for our future sustainability. However we need the investment in this technology to ensure that there are more efficient, low emission cars, which can work for everybody. I am pleased that the Government is investing in this area and proud that Swindon – through the Research Councils and companies like Powertrain – are leading in this field.”
