Policy Developments

Business secretary says clean automotive sector to be heart of industrial strategy; JLR reveals vision for UK electric car plant

The Business Secretary Greg Clark has clearly signalled that making Britain a world-leading hub for electric and next-generation vehicles is to be placed at the heart of the Government's industrial strategy. Speaking at the same event, Ralf Speth, Chief Executive of Jaguar Land Rover, said that his company would like to build an electric car plant and a battery factory in Britain.

Government responds to EAC criticism of UK rate of ULEV uptake

The UK Government said it will introduce measures to further encourage the uptake of ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEVs) in its response to the Environmental Audit Committee report published in September which suggested the UK is falling behind targets to switch Britain’s car fleet to electric vehicles. 

Bolder action needed as catalyst for UK low carbon transition say green groups

New analysis from a coalition of green groups calls on the UK government to 'take bold action' to catalyse the UK's transition to low carbon energy, transport and heating. The group comprising Green Alliance, RSPB, WWF, CAFOD, Christian Aid and Greenpeace, called on the Chancellor to do more to promote new investment in low carbon infrastructure.

Climate Change News

UK ratifies Paris Agreement in Marrakech as treaty enters into force

The landmark Paris Agreement has entered into force and has also been ratified by the UK Government at the latest gathering of world climate leaders in Marrakech - COP22 - providing a clear sign of the continued commitment to climate action across the world. Leaders from eight countries, including the UK, also announced a commitment to increase the share of low emission vehicles in their government fleets.

LowCVP News

LowCVP launches comprehensive ‘green bus’ guide for operators and local authorities

The Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership (LowCVP) has today launched the Low Emission Bus (LEB) Guide at the Euro Bus Expo 2016 (1-3 November, NEC, Birmingham). The Low Emission Bus Guide aims to be a vital reference for bus operators and local authorities, providing an overview of the benefits of a range of low emission fuels and technologies that reduce both air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. 

LowCVP workshop to focus on cutting emissions from commercial vehicles

The LowCVP is holding a stakeholder workshop on Friday December 2nd to discuss current and future initiatives to cut emissions from commercial vehicles. The workshop is intended to be a precursor to the re-establishment of a LowCVP CV working group which will take forward initiatives for greening the UK's truck fleet.

Clean bus revolution cuts emissions by 55,000 tonnes a year

A new generation of clean buses is already saving 55,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year and delivering £8 million in health and environmental benefits, according to a new report by the LowCVP for Greener Journeys.

LowCVP holds UK eBus Summit for eLIPTIC project

The Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership (LowCVP) hosted a national launch event for the Horizon 2020 project 'Electrifying Public Transport in Cities' (eLITPIC) in London on the 10th November. The UK eBus Summit brought together best practice examples of electric bus and supporting infrastructure deployment in the UK alongside an introduction to the variety of demonstration projects being undertaken across 12 European cities as part of the eLITPIC project.

Industry News

Toyota establishes in-house electric vehicle unit

Toyota, the world's largest car maker, has announced that it will establish a new in-house unit to focus solely on the development of electric cars and associated marketing.

Consultations

SSEN seeks responses to consultation on managed EV charging to support plug-in vehicle uptake

EA Technology is seeking responses from stakeholders to a consultation aimed at better understanding how market mechanisms could work to facilitate the uptake of a technical solution (such as demand side response) to enable controlled plug-in vehicle uptake on electricity networks.

Reports & Studies

New report proposes roadmap for hydrogen and fuel cells in the UK

A new roadmap provides an overarching framework for hydrogen and fuel cells to play a greater role in the UK's energy mix, including transport. Commissioned by a range of stakeholders including the Dept for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the Scottish Government and Innovate UK the report outlines the principal benefits of adopting hydrogen and fuel cells.

'Low carbon cars in the 2020s: Consumer impacts and EU policy implications' - new BEUC report

A new report for the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) by Element Energy assesses the financial effects on consumers of lower carbon vehicles beyond 2020. It also examines what policy makers will need to do in order to deliver the necessary reductions in carbon dioxide emissions from vehicles.

New ICCT report examines the next generation of EV technologies

The International Council on Clean Transportation has released a new study which provides an assessment of next generation electric vehicle technologies. It looks at issues like electric range, models available, battery capacity and cost, and examines the global production growth potential of car manufacturers and battery suppliers until 2023.  

Other News

Oil majors commit $10bn to carbon storage plans to combat climate change

Ten of the world's largest oil companies have announced plans to establish a new $1 billion green investment fund which will initially focus on deploying carbon capture, use and storage, reducing methane emissions from oil and gas operations and improving energy efficiency in both transport and industry. 

Government must expedite air quality plans following Client Earth legal victories

Client Earth, a campaigning environmental law group, has won a case in the High Court against the Government over the failure to tackle air pollution across the UK. The presiding judge said that the Environment Secretary had failed to take measures that would bring the UK into compliance with the law “as soon as possible” and said that ministers knew that over optimistic pollution modelling was being used.

Events

UK Bus Summit 2017 - 09/02/2017

The third annual UK Bus Summit will be held in London at the QEII Conference Centre, Westminster, supported by the Department for Transport. 

International EV Batteries 2016: Cost-Effective Engineering for Hybrid and Electric vehicles - 06/12/2016

International EV Batteries 2016 will address the critical challenges being faced by electric vehicle OEMs globally. Attendees will take away the latest innovations from Asia, Europe and North America in battery management, modular design, range extension, battery testing and pack integration.

Upcoming LowCVP Activities

News-In-Brief