Zero-emission projects on vehicles including vans, fire engines and ambulances have received a boost with the announcement of more than £77m in joint government and industry funding.

Projects scoring funding include a hydrogen-powered version of the Ford Transit van

The work will develop hydrogen- and electric-powered vehicles, including for emergency services and a hydrogen-powered version of the Ford Transit van. The projects will also develop innovations in clean engine technology, for zero-emission buses and to overhaul EV factory productivity.

The funding has been awarded through the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) Collaborative Research and Development programme, in support of ambitions to build an end-to-end supply chain for zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) in the UK. Of the investment, £38.4m comes from government, backed by a further £38.7m from the auto sector.

Joint government and industry funding winners are:

• HYER POWER – ULEMCO  £7.9m backing to develop a hydrogen fuel cell range extender for electric vehicles used for specialised and challenging purposes, such as ambulances, fire engines and street sweepers.
• HEIDI – Bramble Energy  £12.7m for work to demonstrate a novel fuel cell/battery hybrid powertrain on a double-decker bus, that will be cheaper than the equivalents currently available for large vehicles.
• 0 – Ford Motor Company  £16.3m awarded to design and develop a hydrogen fuel cell-powered version of the Ford Transit van, which will initially be produced at Ford Dagenham.
• NEXTGENZEBS – Wrightbus  £12.7m backing for new, market-leading technology to underpin battery and fuel cell electric buses.
• EleVAIT – JLR  Receiving £12.6m to design and develop technology for inverters – a key component in electric vehicles, supporting the continued growth of a UK-based electric vehicle supply chain.
• CAVENDISH – BorgWarner  Awarded £9.8m for work to speed up the rollout of hydrogen-burning internal combustion engines, as an alternative to diesel, for use in heavy-duty settings.
• ZETTA – Leyland Trucks  A £5.1m investment. By better use of automation and advanced testing, Leyland Trucks aim to increase productivity and step up their production of battery electric trucks.

The projects are expected to support more than 4,400 jobs across the UK over the next decade.

Industry and Economic Security Minister Nusrat Ghani said: “Zero-emission cars, vans and taxis are increasingly common, but this cutting-edge work is going to mean clean, green vehicles designed and built in the UK can increasingly take on the toughest jobs too, from life-saving emergency services, to haulage and public transport.

“Our automotive industry keeps setting the pace globally and seizing the potential of new technologies. Today’s multi-million-pound boost will help them stay ahead of international competition, while delivering on our priority to grow the economy and support high-quality jobs.”