The government has pledged £30 million investment into research surrounding electric and hydrogen vehicles.
Revealed by investment minister Gerry Grimstone today, the move will see around £9.4m invested into 22 separate studies, looking at a variety of different research areas – including the possible development of a low-carbon lithium hydroxide plant in Cornwall. This could make UK battery production easier, as lithium is one of the crucial components of an electric car’s battery cells.
Another study will investigate a lightweight hydrogen fuel tank – developed by Loughborough’s Haydale Composite Solutions – to see how well it could work in both hydrogen-powered cars and vans.
Minister for Investment Gerry Grimstone said: “We have set an ambitious target to phase out the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030. To support that it is crucial we invest in research so we can power ahead with the shift to electric vehicles as we build back greener from the pandemic.
“The world leading research announced today showcases the very best of British innovation and it will support all stages of the automotive supply chain to make the switch to electric vehicles – from developing batteries, to exploring how to recycle them.”
The money will also be spent on a study of a lightweight magnet plant in Cheshire. Magnets are a key component of an EV’s electric motor.
Some £22.6 million in funding will go to the government-backed Faraday institution, which will use the money to investigate battery safety and find out the root causes of battery failures. It’ll also look at solid-state batteries and their capability to deliver significant range increases to electric vehicles, as well as how effectively batteries can be recycled and reused.
