UK funds electric and H2 vehicle projects in Wales, Northern Ireland and England
Three projects in Wales, Northern Ireland and England aiming to create the next generation of electric trucks and hydrogen-powered buses will receive more than £54 million of funding from the UK government and industry. The projects are forecast to secure nearly 10,000 jobs across the UK.
The three projects being funded in Cwmbran, Warwickshire and Ballymena are, respectively, for the development of electric commercial and construction vehicles, for electric cars and hydrogen fuel cell buses.
£31.9 million to develop lightweight electric propulsion systems for heavy goods vehicles in Cwmbran, Wales. This technology aims to give electric trucks a greater travel range and better energy efficiency and is supposed to be similarly applicable for coaches and construction vehicles.
For a centre in Warwickshire, £11.3 million is being granted to develop and manufacture energy-saving technology from motorsport for use in cars and vans. The funding has been committed through Shield Manufacturing Technologies to develop and manufacture an energy recovery system developed in motorsport that is integrated with an e-axle and motor.
In Northern Ireland, £11.2 million has been granted to develop and manufacture low-cost hydrogen fuel cell technology for buses and create a hydrogen centre of excellence with Wrightbus in Ballymena. Wrightbus is at the forefront of hydrogen fuel cell buses, recently using new technology with the French company Forsee with ultra-thin battery modules and towards the end of last year using Supercaps by Skeleton Technologies. Wright bus has already delivered a significant number of hydrogen fuel cell buses throughout the UK, such as for Birmingham, England and Aberdeen in Scotland within the last 12 months.
Transport Minister Rachel Maclean, underlined that new technologies are critical to the UK meeting both its climate and economic goals. “As we look to reduce our carbon emissions, strive towards our net-zero goals and level up right across the UK, the whole transport sector will need to embrace new innovative technology such as green hydrogen and these projects are a fantastic example of doing just that,” she said.
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