Ministers meet with experts to kick-start electric car revolution
Tuesday 28 October 2008
 |
| The Technology Strategy Board will fund trials of 100 low carbon and electric vehicles around the country in 2009 |
Ministers met with experts from around the world yesterday to start work on a £100 million plan to accelerate the use of electric and other low carbon cars in the UK.
The meeting came as the government revealed new research suggesting that if cars are charged at non-peak times, the "widespread" use of electric cars could be supported without the need for large numbers of new power stations.
Yesterday saw £30 million of new funding announced, including £10m for a vehicle trial for which motor manufacturers will be able to bid to provide 100 electric cars to be tested by householders, and a £20 million pot will be available to support research in the field of electric vehicles.
A shortlist of 10 manufacturers was also announced yesterday for the government's £20 million trial of "green" vans to be tested by public sector organisations including a number of councils.
The meeting in Whitehall followed Gordon Brown's pledge this summer to speed up delivery of low carbon and electric cars for "ordinary motorists".
It saw ministers claiming the initiatives to foster a mass market for environmentally-friendly vehicles could help create up to 10,000 new jobs "and help preserve thousands more".
Speaking at the International Experts Meeting, Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon said yesterday: "For electric vehicles, we know many of the hurdles we have to overcome. Primarily, the cost of batteries; but also their range; the development of recharging infrastructure; and the upfront development and retail costs of new models. All of these issues will have to be addressed."
The low carbon vehicle funding comes under the Technology Strategy Board's Low Carbon Vehicles Innovation Platform a five-year, £100 million fund provided by the government and regional development agencies.
Demonstration
The low carbon car demonstration initiative should see 100 new cars on the road in several locations around the UK by the end of 2009, within "two or three" different projects.
Manufacturers will bid for up to £10 million towards demonstration projects for vehicles with emissions of 50g of carbon dioxide per km or less, as well as a "significant" electric-only range of cars.
Applications will be invited in January 2009, with successful projects announced in March, the government said. A second "wave" of demonstrations could be developed after the 100-vehicle pilot is completed and assessed.
Research
The £20 million research programme announced today comes in three strands:
- £10 million for research in the private sector on cost-effective and higher performing all-electric and hybrid vehicle technology;
- Between £5 million and £10 million for a more open research competition for wider collaborative projects on low carbon vehicles;
- And, around £3 million for university research on lower carbon vehicle technology.
Applications for the private sector research will be invited from January 19, 2009, until February 26, 2009, with expectations of project decisions in May 2009. The open competition will see the application process starting in June 2009, with decisions the following November.
The university research will be announced next year by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, the government said.
Lord Drayson, Minister of State for Science and Innovation, said: "The technologies for low carbon vehicles are developing fast, whether for all-electric, hybrid or alternative fuels. The challenge for the UK is to ensure industry takes full advantage of this shift and explores opportunities now, to position itself as a world leader in low carbon vehicle technology in the long term."
Green van procurement
Yesterday's shortlist for the Department for Transport's low carbon van initiative saw 10 companies named, including makers of all-electric vehicles and fuel-efficient "lower carbon" vehicles:
- Lower carbon vans: Ford, Mercedes Benz; Citroen; Ashwoods; Land Rover
- All-electric vans: Modec; Smiths; Electric Vehicles; LDV; Nissan; Allied Vehicles
Geoff Hoon wants to see public procurement helping drive electric vehicle supply
Mr Hoon explained: "Our thinking here is that since the public sector is a major customer for all sorts of things, we can also use it to help bring greener vans to the commercial market.
This programme is being managed for us by Cenex and is aimed squarely at maximising the power of green procurement to support the development of new vehicle technologies," the transport secretary added.
Electricity infrastructure
The government has already said it wants to see a roll-out of national charging infrastructure for electric vehicles, encouraging the move through reforms of the planning system and the development of new international standards.
It is working with transmission system operator National Grid to look at the impact on the electricity system of widespread use of electric vehicles.
A new study by Cenex - the UK centre of excellence for low carbon and fuel cell vehicles - and engineering consultants at Arup has suggested that the UK could cope with widespread electric vehicle use without building large numbers of power stations if the charging of vehicles is "managed correctly".
The study suggests that charging vehicles from the grid could save 40% of the greenhouse gas emissions compared to ordinary cars.
Arup's director of advanced technology and research, Neil Ridley, said that greater efficiencies would flow from integrating vehicles into infrastructure in the built environment.
He said: "Beyond the long-term reduction in greenhouse gas emissions created by switching to electric vehicles, it also makes sense to try to use the surplus capacity in the grid during off peak times."
The study will be published on BERR's website, the government said.
Print
