Birmingham summit to reveal £106m funding for green vehicle technology
Theresa May will set out plans for the UK to be at the forefront of developing and producing zero-emission vehicles at a summit in Birmingham today where she will meet car industry bosses amid concerns over Brexit.
The Prime Minister will announce a £106m funding boost for research and development in green vehicles, new batteries and low carbon technology at the country’s first ever Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Summit today.
May will also host an automotive round table with leading supply-chain companies from Germany, the USA, Japan, China, Spain and India, to explore what more the government and industry can do together to accelerate the development of the zero-emissions market and to highlight the UK’s strong offer.
This is the third in the government’s series of investment round tables which promote UK industry sector opportunities to a global audience, and drive foreign direct-investment into the UK ahead of Brexit.
The government will also unveil a new, international declaration that will forge the way for the worldwide deployment of green vehicles, and the introduction of smart, zero-emission infrastructure.
The first signatories to the ‘Birmingham Declaration’ include Italy, France, Denmark, the United Arab Emirates, Portugal, Belarus and Indonesia, with more nations currently in talks to sign up.
May is expected to say: “I want to see Britain, once again, leading from the front and working with industries and countries around the world to spearhead change.
“That is why I have set this country an ambitious mission. To put the UK at the forefront of the design and manufacturing of zero-emission vehicles, and for all new cars and vans to be, effectively, zero-emission by 2040.
“Already, we are taking significant strides forward. Our electric UK-manufactured cars account for one-in-five sold in Europe. Our batteries are among the best in the world.
“And our Road to Zero Strategy is the most comprehensive plan globally – mapping out, in detail, how we will reach our target for all new cars and vans to be, effectively, zero-emission by 2040 – and for every car and van to be zero-emission by 2050.
“Today we have provided over £100m of funding for innovators in ultra-low emission vehicles and hydrogen technology. With a further £500m of investment from key industries in this sector.
“These measures will drive the design, use, uptake and infrastructure necessary for cleaner, greener vehicles – and in doing so, it will help us drastically reduce a major contributor to our global warming emissions, as we seek to meet the Paris Climate Change Agreement.”
