Electric motorbikes and off-road trucks to unlock growth and jobs across the UK

Electric motorcycles and an all-terrain, 4x4 electric delivery truck designed for emerging markets are among the projects benefiting from more than £43m of government and industry funding to help develop the latest green automotive technology.

Electric motorcycles and an all-terrain, 4x4 electric delivery truck designed for emerging markets are among the projects benefiting from more than £43m of government and industry funding to help develop the latest green automotive technology, while seizing on the economic opportunities of the global transition to cleaner transport.

The two projects have been awarded funding through the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) Collaborative Research and Development competition, which supports the development of innovative low carbon automotive technology and will help propel the UK in the global race to secure electric vehicle supply chains.

The projects are set to secure more than 550 jobs and save 27.6m tonnes of CO2 - the equivalent of removing the lifetime emissions of 1.1 million cars from the road.

Minister for Investment Lord Grimstone said, “this funding, delivered through the government-backed Advanced Propulsion Centre, will support UK businesses at the cutting edge of the automotive industry to trial the very latest tech, from the development of electric motorbikes to off-road trucks.

“Supporting these strategically important technologies lays the path for our electric vehicle sector to compete on a global scale, driving jobs and growth nationwide whilst also creating cleaner, more sustainable modes of transport.”

In addition, 19 early-stage proposals that could bolster the UK electric vehicle supply chain have also been awarded funding to research, prove or enhance the case for their scale up, with the potential to create further jobs throughout the country.

The feasibility studies will be backed with £9.4m in matched Government-industry money through the Automotive Transformation Fund (ATF). Areas to be investigated include the development of EV battery components and the viability of using UK-sourced critical minerals.

Ian Constance Chief Executive at the APC says, “the projects receiving today’s investment highlight the breadth of technologies needed to help the UK accelerate to net zero emissions. They’re reimagining not just vehicles, but transport in general.”

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