UK to become world leader in battery technology for electric vehicles

The government will today announce a £246m (Rs 2,421 cr) investment in battery technology for electric vehicles as it aims to “establish the UK as world leader” in the sector.

The investment, which is part of the government’s broader industrial strategy, will begin with the launch of a £45m ‘Battery Institute’ competition, which will ultimately see the formation of a centre for battery research to make technology more accessible and affordable.

It will be the first phrase of a four-year investment, known as the Faraday Challenge, which will deliver a programme of competitions aiming to “boost both the research and development of expertise in battery technology”, according to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Once the Battery Institute has been created, the most promising research created by it will be moved closer to market through industrial collaborations, led by Innovate UK, the government’s innovation agency.

Then, the Advanced Propulsion Centre – described as a centre of excellence for low carbon propulsion development and production - will work with the automotive sector to identify the best proposition for a new open access National Battery Manufacturing Development facility.

Talking about the investment, Clark is expected to say today: "The work that we do through the Faraday Challenge will – quite literally – power the automotive and energy revolution where, already, the UK is leading the world."

The government and Ofgem are also expected to set out a plan today to ensure the UK’s energy system is prepared for the anticipated onslaught of electric vehicles. BEIS commented: “With over a quarter of the UK’s electricity being generated through renewables and the costs of technologies like battery storage rapidly decreasing, there are significant opportunities to secure economic benefits for businesses and households across the country.”

Clark will also confirm today the launch of the third Connected Autonomous Vehicles research and development competition, with £25 million (Rs 246 cr) of funding being made available to new projects.

For the first time, the government is making funding available to off-road driverless innovation, with investments earmarked for cutting-edge projects that will grow the commercial potential of off-road driverless technology in a range of sectors including construction, farming and mining.