Ultra Low Carbon Vehicle Demonstrator projects
Submitted by MikeWhelan on 29 June, 2009 - 00:18
The all-electric Mitsubishi i MiEV city car is set to play a prominent role in one of the Government’s recently announced Ultra Low Carbon Vehicle Demonstrator projects being run by the Technology Strategy Board. The Mitsubishi will take part in the West Midlands’ CABLED (Coventry and Birmingham Low Emission Demonstrators) consortium, which includes industry, council, academic and power organisations, and is led by design and engineering consultant, Arup.(1)
The Secretary of State for Transport, Lord Adonis, and Lord Drayson, the Minister for Science and Innovation, launched the Technology Strategy Board project yesterday, in which eight winning consortia will receive a total of £25 million from the Government to help speed up the introduction of ultra low carbon vehicles. The project brings together manufacturers, power companies, Regional Development Agencies, councils and academic institutions in an attempt to accelerate the reality of a greener future of transport in the UK.
Mitsubishi will showcase its award-winning all-electric i MiEV city car, with 25 vehicles going on the road as part of the trial from November this year. A total of approximately three hundred and forty vehicles will begin trials on UK roads within the next six to eighteen months, which makes this the biggest project of its kind.(2)
The i MiEV’s vital statistics are sure to make it a prominent and successful player in the trials: with a top speed of 87mph, a range of well over 80 miles, and the ability to carry four adult passengers and luggage in comfort. It can also recharge from flat-to-full in 6 hours via a 240V UK supply, or fast-charge from flat to 80 percent in just 20-30 minutes – all features that will ensure the car shows off how practical it is for everyday use.
Mitsubishi’s Managing Director, Lance Bradley, said “It is excellent news that the i MiEV will play such a prominent role in this real-world trial. It is a great platform for us to show off our advanced electric vehicle technology, which itself is acting as a catalyst for the many other CO2 lowering environmental technologies we have in the near future.”
Core Facts
- The trials were officially launched by Science Minister Lord Drayson and Transport Secretary Lord Adonis at Guild Hall Yard, London, on Tuesday, 23 June 2009.
- The trials are part of the Technology Strategy Board's (TSB) Low Carbon Vehicle Demonstrator competition to bring together industry, the public sector and universities to develop low emission vehicles.
- The locations for the trials are: London and the south east; Coventry & Birmingham; Oxford; Glasgow; and Gateshead & Tees Valley.
- The demonstration programme will mean that over 300 motorists will have the opportunity to drive an electric car, familiarise themselves with the technology and, crucially, provide the feedback needed to make greener motoring a reality.
Other Eco-Rally vehicles taking part in the trial include the Micro:Cab, MINI E and Allied Electric MPV.
The Technology Strategy Board is a business-led executive non departmental public body, established by the Government. Its mission 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 UK’s Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).
