Low Carbon Vehicle Technology

The automotive industry is a key sector within the UK economy accounting for nearly half a million jobs and annual exports of almost £9 billion. Driven by European legislation and an increasingly aware consumer base, the industry in the UK has embraced the challenges of technological change, investing heavily in people and technology to provide innovative low carbon transport solutions and products. The British government has been strongly supportive of greener automotive technologies and recently published a major industry-led report to map the transformation of the UK car industry into the future.

The universities in the Heart of England are a key group conducting research into the area of Low Carbon Vehicle Technology which will take this area forward in the future:

• The Heavy Diesel Automotive Test Centre at Birmingham City University is a new £1 million large engine emissions testing facility working with HGV and off road vehicle manufacturers to aid the development of cleaner engines.

• The Automotive Engineering Applied Research Group (AEARG) at Coventry University has extensive programmes in engine and emissions research with OEMs including Ford, Jaguar Land Rover and Johnson Matthey and world-renowned automotive design capabilities.

• University of Birmingham has significant capability across a range of different faculties and research areas brought together under the Institute for Energy Research and Policy which covers all aspects of hydrogen production, storage, distribution and use, fuel cells, future fuels and energy conversion technologies.

• University of Warwick is home to the internationally renowned Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG,) the International Automotive Research Centre (IARC) and the Premium Vehicle Lightweight Technologies Centre of Excellence, which work with OEMs and regional SMEs to develop new technologies across a wide range of current and future automotive applications.

There are a number programmes that can offer support to the Low Carbon Vehicle Technology industry in the region:

• Technology Strategy Board (TSB) is an enabling body for technology enabled innovation with a number of low carbon transport funding programmes.

• Cenex is the UK centre of excellence for low carbon and fuel cell technologies.

• Foresight Vehicle, run by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, is the UK’s prime knowledge transfer network for the automotive industry.

• Eureka is a pan-European network for encouraging market-oriented, collaborative R&D projects, which lead to the development of innovative products, processes or services.

• Advantage West Midlands (AWM) has a strategic focus on technology development in areas of regional expertise, specifically low emission vehicles, intelligent transportation systems and niche vehicles.

• Birmingham Science City funds projects split across 5 key areas including transport technologies and including intelligent zero emission vehicles, hydrogen energy and supply chain issues.

• Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership is a partnership of 300 organisations and businesses aiming to accelerate the shift to low carbon vehicles and fuels in the UK.

• innovITS is the UK Centre of Excellence for Intelligent Transport Systems.

• CABLED – The Coventry & Birmingham Low Emission Demonstrators consortium comprises 13 companies with project leader ARUP. The project, will see 110 CABLED vehicles tested in and around Birmingham and Coventry. Vehicles involved include: four electric models – Mitsubishi i MiEV, Mercedes Benz Smart EV, LTI’s TX4E London taxi and the Tata Indica Vista EV, as well as the hydrogen-powered Microcab and Land Rover’s e-hybrid vehicle.

The Heart of England Inward Investment team offers the following range of free and confidential services to international and UK based companies that are considering investing, expanding or pursuing other business opportunities within the region;

• Land and property searches and advice

• Tailored investment proposals addressing specific information requirements

• Regional visit programmes

• Introductions to providers of business and professional services

• Introductions to universities and research and technology providers

• Information on potential sources of financial assistance and other forms of support

Find out how well connected the Heart of England is.

Find out why the Heart of England is a great place to move your company.

Find out what else the Heart of England has to offer.

Find out more about Low Carbon Vehicle Technology and how easy it is to move your business here - call us on +44 (0)121 380 3500 or email.

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