New Automotive Council and electric car demonstrator project

A new Automotive Council was announced in November 2009 by the then Business Secretary Lord Mandelson. He said its role was ‘to capitalise on the economic opportunities and job creation offered by the shift to low carbon. The Automotive Council will be an opportunity for Government and industry to work together on the long term strategic development of the sector.’

This is further evidence of the government’s determination to accelerate the transition to ultra low carbon vehicles for motorists and the UK automotive sector. New investment is critical if the UK is to become a world leader in ultra-low carbon automotive technology. At the council’s first meeting Lord Mandelson, who co-chaired the council with ex-Ford Vice President Professor Richard Parry-Jones, announced a £19 million competition to support projects aimed at developing the UK's supply networks for the low and ultra low carbon vehicle industry.

The setting up of the new council is the second of the recommendations of the New Automotive Innovation and Growth Team (NAIGT) that the government has acted on. The first was a demonstration project for all-electric and plug-in hybrid cars.

Government demonstrator project

In June 2009, the government’s Technology Strategy Board awarded eight winning consortia a total of  £25 million from the government to help speed up the introduction of ultra low carbon vehicles. The project brings together vehicle manufacturers, power companies, regional development agencies, councils and academic institutions in order to accelerate the reality of a greener future of transport in the UK. In total, almost 500 vehicles are being trialled.

Electric car consortia

As an example, the West Midlands’ CABLED (Coventry and Birmingham Low Emission Demonstrators) consortium includes industry, councils, academic and power organisations, and is led by design and engineering consultant, Arup. Mitsubishi is part of this consortium and will trial the i-MiEV, with 25 vehicles going on the road as part of the year-long trial from November 2009. The i- MiEV is an all-electric four-seater car with a lithium-ion battery and a range of 80 miles. It was awarded Electric Car of the Year 2009, by GreenFleet.

Ford is part of a consortium with Scottish and Southern Energy and Strathclyde University that will trial a European Ford Focus specially developed to participate in the Ultra-Low Carbon Vehicles Demonstration initiative during 2010.  A fleet of 15 prototype Focus BEVs (Battery Electric Vehicles) will be used by drivers in and around the London Borough of Hillingdon. The Focus BEV uses an all-electric powertrain from Magna, the company that nearly bought GM’s European operations. The BEV will have a range of up to 75 miles and a top speed of up to 85mph. Charging the batteries will take between six to eight hours. An infrastructure of charging stations has been developed to support the programme.

A second TSB-sponsored competition was announced in June 2009 to provide funding for projects that accelerate research and development leading to the reduction of carbon emissions from mass-market road vehicles.