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The two projects were awarded funding through the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) Collaborative Research and Development competition, which supports the development of innovative low-carbon automotive technology.
Based in Solihull in the West Midlands, Project Zero Emission Norton received £17.2m to develop an electric motorcycle that delivers a high level of race performance and touring range.
A similar amount was awarded to OX Delivers Clean (Clean Logistics for Emerging African Nations) in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, which is developing an electric 4x4 designed for emerging markets. Manufactured in the UK, it is designed to withstand tough off-road conditions by using long-life, lower cost batteries.
The projects will secure more than 550 jobs and prevent 27.6m tonnes of CO2 emissions, the government said – equivalent to the lifetime emissions of 1.1m cars.
Lord Grimstone, minister for investment, 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.”
The government also awarded £9.4m in matched government-industry money to 19 early-stage proposals that could bolster the UK electric vehicle supply chain. The focus of projects receiving money from the Automotive Transformation Fund (ATF) include the development of EV battery components and the viability of using UK-sourced critical minerals.
The studies include Livista Energy in London, which will investigate building Europe’s first standalone lithium refining facility, and Nyobolt in Cambridge, which will assess scale-up of manufacturing high-power battery technology that enables ultra-fast charging without sacrificing battery lifetime or safety.
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