Electric truck and hydrogen-powered bus projects receive funding

The government is investing £54 million for innovative green projects, such as next generation electric trucks, hydrogen-powered buses, and motorsport technology.

The three projects in Cwmbran, Warwickshire and Ballymena will receive more than £54 million of funding from UK government and industry and are forecast to secure nearly 10,000 jobs across the UK. They could also save 45 million tonnes of carbon emissions, equal to the total amount of emissions produced by 1.8 million cars over their lifetimes.

The three projects being funded are £31.9 million to develop electric propulsion systems for heavy goods vehicles in Cwmbran, Wales. This technology could be applied in a range of ways, such as giving lorries greater travel range and better energy efficiency for coaches and construction vehicles

£11.3 million will go towards developing and manufacturing energy-saving technology from motorsport for use in cars and vans from a centre in Warwickshire

£11.2 million will develop and manufacture low-cost hydrogen fuel cell technology for buses and create a hydrogen centre of excellence with Wrightbus in Ballymena, Northern Ireland.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said: "The UK is leading the world by developing cutting edge technology that will help to tackle climate change and lead to a green, competitive future for our automotive supply chain.

"These projects will not only help accelerate the wider application of greener technology in lorries and buses, but will also help generate the high-skilled jobs to level up communities across the UK while ensuring we build back greener from the pandemic."