Transport announcement
16 July 2009
16th July 2009
ETI to lead world's most extensive evaluation of consumer's attitudes to plug-in vehicles enabling effective investment
The Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) has launched an ambitious Plug-in Vehicle Economics and Infrastructure project, committing £3m to the first stage. The project will be a core element of the UK strategy for Ultra Low Carbon Vehicles, as outlined in the Low Carbon Industrial Strategy published by Government yesterday (15 July).
The Technology Strategy Board’s Ultra Low Carbon Vehicle Demonstrator programme, announced on the 23rd June 09, set the pace for the UK as a world-leading Test Bed location. This ETI project and the Government’s £250m funding scheme for infrastructure investment and vehicle incentives are critical in maintaining and accelerating this momentum.
ETI Chief Executive David Clarke said: “Vehicle manufacturers are almost ready to bring both all electric (EV) and plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) vehicles to the mass market, but there is still considerable uncertainty as to how many consumers can and will use them, what investment is required, what supporting infrastructure is needed and what the long-term carbon benefit will be. These plug-in vehicles are also likely to be complemented in future by other ultra low carbon vehicle technologies such as bio fuels and potentially hydrogen. ”
David Clarke added: “Working with government, industry and key cities, the ETI plans to conduct what is expected to be the most extensive evaluation of the consumer response to plug-in vehicles, and the supporting infrastructure, anywhere in the world. It will start in early 2011 when a sufficient diversity of vehicles is expected from manufacturers with production volumes in the order of thousands. With its densely populated cities located relatively close together, the UK is well placed to act as a global ‘Test Bed’ location. The ETI project will generate a robust evidence base of the real-world consumer behaviours and acceptance challenges for plug-in vehicles. ”
Lord Drayson Science and Innovation Minister said: “We need to reduce our dependence on petrol- and diesel-based engines, and determine the best practical alternatives. But for electric cars to be a success we need to know how they perform in the real world. This project will help us do exactly that. ”
Technology Strategy Board Chief Executive Iain Gray said: “This project will build on the Technology Strategy Board’s £25 million Low Carbon Vehicle Demonstrator competition, which was announced in June and will see around 340 cars being driven in demonstrator areas across the UK within the next 18 months.
The ETI’s contribution to research into economics and infrastructure for ultra low carbon vehicles will be an essential part of the UK’s push to get electric cars onto the mass market as quickly as possible.”
Notes to Editors
The ETI has committed £3M to Stage 1 of this ambitious project. Stage 1 will develop the detailed whole system model comprising the vehicles, the supporting infrastructure and the consumer response. The model will be comprehensive and cover technical, behavioural and economic aspects. This will enable the potential role and economics of plug-in vehicles as one component of future low carbon transport to be evaluated under numerous different scenarios.
Stage 1 of the project will also develop the technology ‘tool-kit’ for constructing an intelligent infrastructure across the UK. An open standard architecture will be developed to enable consumers to easily locate charging points and recharge any vehicle. This means that they could use charging points from different suppliers across the country while only needing to sign-up to a single billing provider. Infrastructure planning information will also be generated (e.g. how many recharging points are needed, where they should be located, what mix of power levels is required, how the impact of plug-in vehicle recharging on the electricity distribution network should be managed, how the overall system can be simplified for consumers, etc).
Subsequent stages of the project will validate this model and technology tool-kit by evaluating the response of consumers in real-life situations. This will be a core element of the UK strategy for Ultra Low Carbon Vehicles, from 2011 to 2014, as outlined in the Low Carbon Industrial Strategy published by Government yesterday.
The ETI Transport Technology Programme covers both the heavy- and light- duty vehicle sectors.
The Energy Technologies Institute is a UK based company formed from global industries and the UK Government. The ETI brings together projects and partnerships that create affordable, reliable, clean energy for heat, power and transport.
The ETI’s six private members are BP, Caterpillar, EDF Energy, E.ON, Rolls-Royce and Shell. The UK Government has committed to match support for five further Members. The ETI’s public funds are received from the Department for Business Innovation and Skills through the Technology Strategy Board and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). These organisations, together with the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC), are engaged directly in the ETI’s strategy and programme development.
The ETI will demonstrate technologies, develop knowledge, skills and supply-chains, inform the development of regulation, standards and policy, and so accelerate the deployment of affordable, secure low-carbon energy systems from 2020 to 2050.
About the Energy Technologies Institute (ETI): Plans for the ETI were first revealed in the 2006 Budget by the then Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown. It was to operate as a 50:50 public/private partnership. A consortium comprising Birmingham, Loughborough and Nottingham Universities, based at Loughborough University Science Park, was chosen as the host location for the ETI from a shortlist of five bidders.
In selecting projects for funding, the ETI is aiming to achieve a number of key objectives, including demonstrating energy technologies and systems, improving energy usage, efficiency, supply and generation and developing knowledge, and supply chains www.energytechnologies.co.uk
The Technology Strategy Board is a business-led executive non-departmental public body, established by the government. Its role is to promote and support research into and development and exploitation of, technology and innovation for the benefit of UK business, in order to increase economic growth and improve quality of life. It is sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). For more information about the Technology Strategy Board please visit www.innovateuk.org
Contacts:
ETI PR Agency – Mason Media, Brendan Pittaway, 0151 239 5055.
ETI Communications Department, 01509 202084
ETI to lead world's most extensive evaluation of consumer's attitudes to plug-in vehicles enabling effective investment
The Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) has launched an ambitious Plug-in Vehicle Economics and Infrastructure project, committing £3m to the first stage. The project will be a core element of the UK strategy for Ultra Low Carbon Vehicles, as outlined in the Low Carbon Industrial Strategy published by Government yesterday (15 July).
The Technology Strategy Board’s Ultra Low Carbon Vehicle Demonstrator programme, announced on the 23rd June 09, set the pace for the UK as a world-leading Test Bed location. This ETI project and the Government’s £250m funding scheme for infrastructure investment and vehicle incentives are critical in maintaining and accelerating this momentum.
ETI Chief Executive David Clarke said: “Vehicle manufacturers are almost ready to bring both all electric (EV) and plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) vehicles to the mass market, but there is still considerable uncertainty as to how many consumers can and will use them, what investment is required, what supporting infrastructure is needed and what the long-term carbon benefit will be. These plug-in vehicles are also likely to be complemented in future by other ultra low carbon vehicle technologies such as bio fuels and potentially hydrogen. ”
David Clarke added: “Working with government, industry and key cities, the ETI plans to conduct what is expected to be the most extensive evaluation of the consumer response to plug-in vehicles, and the supporting infrastructure, anywhere in the world. It will start in early 2011 when a sufficient diversity of vehicles is expected from manufacturers with production volumes in the order of thousands. With its densely populated cities located relatively close together, the UK is well placed to act as a global ‘Test Bed’ location. The ETI project will generate a robust evidence base of the real-world consumer behaviours and acceptance challenges for plug-in vehicles. ”
Lord Drayson Science and Innovation Minister said: “We need to reduce our dependence on petrol- and diesel-based engines, and determine the best practical alternatives. But for electric cars to be a success we need to know how they perform in the real world. This project will help us do exactly that. ”
Technology Strategy Board Chief Executive Iain Gray said: “This project will build on the Technology Strategy Board’s £25 million Low Carbon Vehicle Demonstrator competition, which was announced in June and will see around 340 cars being driven in demonstrator areas across the UK within the next 18 months.
The ETI’s contribution to research into economics and infrastructure for ultra low carbon vehicles will be an essential part of the UK’s push to get electric cars onto the mass market as quickly as possible.”
Notes to Editors
The ETI has committed £3M to Stage 1 of this ambitious project. Stage 1 will develop the detailed whole system model comprising the vehicles, the supporting infrastructure and the consumer response. The model will be comprehensive and cover technical, behavioural and economic aspects. This will enable the potential role and economics of plug-in vehicles as one component of future low carbon transport to be evaluated under numerous different scenarios.
Stage 1 of the project will also develop the technology ‘tool-kit’ for constructing an intelligent infrastructure across the UK. An open standard architecture will be developed to enable consumers to easily locate charging points and recharge any vehicle. This means that they could use charging points from different suppliers across the country while only needing to sign-up to a single billing provider. Infrastructure planning information will also be generated (e.g. how many recharging points are needed, where they should be located, what mix of power levels is required, how the impact of plug-in vehicle recharging on the electricity distribution network should be managed, how the overall system can be simplified for consumers, etc).
Subsequent stages of the project will validate this model and technology tool-kit by evaluating the response of consumers in real-life situations. This will be a core element of the UK strategy for Ultra Low Carbon Vehicles, from 2011 to 2014, as outlined in the Low Carbon Industrial Strategy published by Government yesterday.
The ETI Transport Technology Programme covers both the heavy- and light- duty vehicle sectors.
The Energy Technologies Institute is a UK based company formed from global industries and the UK Government. The ETI brings together projects and partnerships that create affordable, reliable, clean energy for heat, power and transport.
The ETI’s six private members are BP, Caterpillar, EDF Energy, E.ON, Rolls-Royce and Shell. The UK Government has committed to match support for five further Members. The ETI’s public funds are received from the Department for Business Innovation and Skills through the Technology Strategy Board and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). These organisations, together with the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC), are engaged directly in the ETI’s strategy and programme development.
The ETI will demonstrate technologies, develop knowledge, skills and supply-chains, inform the development of regulation, standards and policy, and so accelerate the deployment of affordable, secure low-carbon energy systems from 2020 to 2050.
About the Energy Technologies Institute (ETI): Plans for the ETI were first revealed in the 2006 Budget by the then Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown. It was to operate as a 50:50 public/private partnership. A consortium comprising Birmingham, Loughborough and Nottingham Universities, based at Loughborough University Science Park, was chosen as the host location for the ETI from a shortlist of five bidders.
In selecting projects for funding, the ETI is aiming to achieve a number of key objectives, including demonstrating energy technologies and systems, improving energy usage, efficiency, supply and generation and developing knowledge, and supply chains www.energytechnologies.co.uk
The Technology Strategy Board is a business-led executive non-departmental public body, established by the government. Its role is to promote and support research into and development and exploitation of, technology and innovation for the benefit of UK business, in order to increase economic growth and improve quality of life. It is sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). For more information about the Technology Strategy Board please visit www.innovateuk.org
Contacts:
ETI PR Agency – Mason Media, Brendan Pittaway, 0151 239 5055.
ETI Communications Department, 01509 202084