Skip to main content

UK government launches new ultra low emission vehicles strategy

Transport Minister Norman Baker has launched the UK government’s strategy, Driving the future today - a strategy for ultra low emission vehicles in the UK, to drive forward the ultra low emission vehicles (ULEVs) industry. The new strategy signals a major change in the way vehicles will be powered in the future and reaffirms the government’s commitment to provide new opportunities for the motor industry to help grow the UK economy.
September 5, 2013 Read time: 2 mins
Transport Minister Norman Baker has launched the UK government’s strategy, Driving the future today - a strategy for ultra low emission vehicles in the UK, to drive forward the ultra low emission vehicles (ULEVs) industry.

The new strategy signals a major change in the way vehicles will be powered in the future and reaffirms the government’s commitment to provide new opportunities for the motor industry to help grow the UK economy.

The government’s long term strategic approach will deliver: a growing fleet of, and private markets for, ULEVs; a network of charging points and other infrastructure making ULEVs an attractive proposition; the development of world class skills and facilities for the development of ULEV technologies leading to global export; and a smarter electricity grid to benefit vehicle owners and the electricity system.

Norman Baker said: “These are exciting times for the motoring industry as ultra low emission vehicles are the future for road travel. Our vision is that by 2050 almost every car and van will be an ultra low emission vehicle with the UK at the forefront of their design, development and manufacture. This strategy moves us up a gear in pursuing that vision.”

The Office for Low Emission Vehicles is inviting industry to have a say through a call for evidence on how best to invest US$781 million of funding to drive the revolution and establish the UK as a premier market for ULEVs. The call for evidence will be launched shortly.

Business Minister Michael Fallon said: “The automotive industry provides thousands of high-quality jobs across the country and we are determined to keep it that way. By setting out the level of our financial support up to 2020 we are demonstrating our long-term commitment and giving business the confidence to invest. We will keep working in partnership with industry on where our investment can best drive growth as we support the transition to ultra low emission vehicles.”

Related Content

  • Nissan and Enel launch vehicle-to-grid project in the UK
    May 12, 2016
    Automotive manufacturer Nissan and multinational power company Enel are to launch a major vehicle-to-grid (V2G) trial in the UK, which will see one hundred V2G units installed and connected at locations agreed by private and fleet owners of the Nissan LEAF and e-NV200 electric van. By giving Nissan electric vehicle owners the ability to plug their vehicles into the V2G system, owners will have the flexibility and power to sell stored energy from their vehicle battery back to the National Grid. The annou
  • Autumn budget: EV charging infrastructure fund and higher tax rates for diesel vehicles
    November 23, 2017
    Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond has announced a £400m ($532m) charging infrastructure fund for electric vehicles (EVs), an extra £100m ($133m) investment in Plug-In-Car Grant, and a £40m ($53m) in charging R&D in the UK’s Autumn Budget 2017. He added that laws need to be clarified so that motorists who charge their EVs at work will not face a benefit-in-kind charge from next year.
  • £143m for zero-emission buses in UK
    April 2, 2024
    Zebra programme funding will see new electric buses in towns, villages and cities in England
  • UK Government funding for driverless and low carbon projects
    April 12, 2017
    The UK Government has awarded US$137 million (£109.7 million) of funding, alongside significant funding from industry, to help develop the next generation of driverless and low-carbon vehicles, as part of the Industrial Strategy and the government’s Plan for Britain. Seven innovative projects will share grants from the latest round of funding from the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC), the joint industry-government programme to put the UK at the forefront of low carbon vehicle technology. The projects,