The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), has welcomed the news that government funding worth £25 million has been allocated to the winners of the Technology Strategy Board’s (TSB) Ultra Low Carbon Vehicle Demonstrator competition.

The successful bids bring together car manufacturers, power companies, Regional Development Agencies, councils and academic institutions and will operate across eight UK locations to deliver low carbon vehicles to consumers.

The winning consortia are:
• Coventry and Birmingham Low Emission Demonstrators (CABLED)
• Electric Vehicle Accelerated Development in the North East (EVADINE)
• Ford Focus Battery Electric Vehicle
• London South East Bid
• MINI E Research Project
• The Allied Vehicles Project
• PHV – Paving the way to full commercialisation of plug-in hybrid vehicles
• EEMS Accelerate

Highlighting the future direction of the UK, each will achieve a share of £25 million in funding as part of an ongoing commitment to accelerate the introduction of low carbon vehicles.

The programme will provide incentives to develop and demonstrate new technologies in the UK and aims to help deliver the government’s target of an 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050.