Cash boost for vehicles of the future
A government-industry project to put Formula 1 technology into cars, buses and diggers has secured £133million of investment.
The initiative, set to be announced by Business Secretary Vince Cable during a visit to Ford's Dunton facility today, involves industry giants Cummins, GKN, Ford and JCB.
The aim is to fund powertrain development projects that enable increased fuel efficiency and reduced carbon emissions.
"The next generation of cars, buses and diggers will be powered by radically different technologies and I want them to be developed here in Britain," Cable said. "Over the last few decades the British car industry has been transformed and today a new vehicle rolls off a UK production line every 20 seconds.
"These projects will be the first of many to receive funding from the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC), which aims to transform the UK into a propulsion nation, working as a hub of excellence for advanced powertrain technologies."
The initiative could secure up to 30,000 jobs currently linked to producing engines, while creating many more in the automotive supply chain.
Projects to win government funding in the first APC competition include Ford's £100m upgrade of the world-renowned EcoBoost engine, pictured, which will receive a £13.1m grant.
Cummins, along with a consortium of partners, will receive £4.9m towards a £9.9m project to introduce stop/start engine technology to buses, improving fuel consumption by up to 20%.
GKN Land Systems and its partners are set to receive £7.5m as part of a £16m project to introduce Williams F1 technology into bus powertrains to avoid energy wastage.
JCB and its partner Flybrid will also be awarded a £3.3m grant as part of a £7.3m project to apply Formula 1 KERS technology to diggers; cutting carbon emissions and improving fuel consumption.
