NEWS > North East England at Low Carbon Vehicle Showcase
Published: Wednesday, 29 Sep, 2010
The low carbon vehicle sector in North East England was showcased at the major industry annual event this week. The Cenex National Low Carbon Vehicle event took place on Wednesday and Thursday, September 15 and 16, where experts from One North East promoted the
The low carbon vehicle sector in North East England was showcased at the major industry annual event this week. The Cenex National Low Carbon Vehicle event took place on Wednesday and Thursday, September 15 and 16, where experts from One North East promoted the region to potential investors alongside key partners who have helped put the North East on the international map for low carbon vehicle development and charging infrastructure.
Since the last LCV event in 2009, Nissan has chosen its Sunderland plant to manufacture the Nissan LEAF and construction is under way of its advanced lithium-ion battery plant, which will have a production capacity of 60,000 units a year and will start manufacturing batteries in 2012. The production of Nissan LEAF and the batteries represents a total investment of more than GBP420m in the plant and is expected to maintain about 2,250 jobs at Nissan and across the UK supply chain.
Other regional electric vehicle manufacturers continue to go from strength to strength. Smith Electric Vehicles in Washington has launched the first ever apprenticeship dedicated to electric vehicles and is also working on a pure electric version of the iconic London black taxi. Cramlington-based AVID Vehicles has launched two new electric vehicles this summer. The E-Warrior is a unique electric four wheel drive Utility Vehicle (UTV), and the CUE-V (Compact Urban Electric Vehicle) is a five-door, five-seat passenger car which is practical for everyday use.
Over the past year, the North East has led the UK in developing a network of charging points for electric vehicles. One North East is installing an infrastructure of 1,300 charging points under the Department for Transport’s Plugged in Places scheme, part funded by more than 50 regional companies and organizations. The current phase of installations will take the running total past 250 and will allow drivers to charge up using a variety of charging technology, including standard, ‘intelligent’, domestic and quick chargers. High profile locations include the Angel of the North in Gateshead and on Hadrian’s Wall in the Northumberland National Park.
Other North East projects include the national Training Centre for Sustainable Manufacturing and Innovation, specialising in ultra low carbon vehicles, an open access test track to trial the use of new low carbon vehicle technology, major electric vehicle trials in partnership with Cenex and the Technology Strategy Board, and The Turbine Business Park in Washington.
Following LCV 2009, Cenex chose to hold its inaugural Green Vehicles Congress in Gateshead, where the biggest names in the industry arrived in the North East from across the globe for a series of seminars on engaging the global motor industry supply chain in low carbon road transport. LCV 2010 took place at the Millbrook Proving Ground in Bedfordshire. North East partners attending the event include One North East, AVID Vehicles, Barmston Developments, Elecscoot, Future Transport Systems, Gateshead College, HILTech Developments, the National Renewable Energy Centre, Newcastle University, Nissan, Sevcon, Smith Electric Vehicles, Sunderland City Council and the University of Sunderland.
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