Hydrogen cars get funding boost

Business Minister Matthew Hancock has announced that the roll out of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles on UK roads is close. His announcement was made as a result of additional £11 million funding being put in place.

The funding it aimed to:

1. Establish a network of 15 hydrogen refueling stations by the end of 2015.

2. Introduce £2 million of funding towards public sector hydrogen vehicles.

3. Ensure the UK is a global leader in ultra-low emission vehicles.

The announcement comes as earlier this month Toyota was chosen as the UK’s first supplier for the vehicles with the cars going on sale next year.

In addition the Government is planning to introduce battery electric vehicles and plug in hybrids which will have a £400 million supporting fund.

Of the recent £11 million recently announced, £7.5 million will be invested by the Government and the final £3.5 million by industry.

Hancock said, at his meeting with Honda, Nissan and Toyota:

“Britain has become one of the best places in the world to build cars, with the value of those we export outstripping imports for the first time in a generation, but we want to go further. Hydrogen cars present us with a huge economic opportunity and can bolster our internationally renowned automotive industry. We want to make the UK one of the best places in the world to design, manufacture and sell ultra-low emission vehicles. Government will work in true partnership with industry so the potential benefits are realised by businesses and consumers across the UK.” Transport Minister Baroness Kramer added:

“By 2040 all new cars and vans will be ultra-low emission vehicles and this could be delivered by a variety of technologies, including plug-in hybrids, pure EVs and hydrogen. We want to ensure that support is there for all of these vehicles and that the UK continues to lead the pack in providing the right infrastructure to drive the switch to electric. The programme follows on from the work undertaken by the UKH2Mobility project; which brings together leading businesses from the automotive, energy, infrastructure and retail sectors with government - to provide a ‘roadmap’ for the introduction of fuel cell vehicles and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure in the UK. Establishing 15 hydrogen refuelling stations by the end of 2015 will represent a significant first step towards the initial national network of 65 identified by UKH2Mobility.”