Glasgow Goes Electric

20/10/2009

Glasgow is set to become a leader in driving environmental change through the development of electric vehicles.

Over £1.8m of funding has been awarded by the Technology Strategy Board to a consortium led by Glasgow electric vehicle manufacturer Allied Electric.  The project will support the development and trial of electric cars in the city over the next two years.

Members of the consortium also include Dundee firm Axeon, who will develop the batteries for the electric vehicles, Glasgow City Council, Scottish Power, The University of Strathclyde and Scottish Enterprise.

The funding will help Allied develop all-electric models of the Peugeot Partner and Peugeot eExpert Tepee for use by a variety of public organisations in Glasgow. The vehicles will create zero emissions when they are in operation.

The aims of the project are to accelerate technological development, help encourage the take up of alternative fuel vehicles and to identify and resolve issues that may arise in the production and use of this type of vehicle in a daily-use environment.
 
Allied Electric’s Managing Director, Paul Nelson, commented, “It’s great to have been awarded this funding for a project that will make Glasgow a leading player for the quest for green transport.  After considerable research and investment Allied is set to take the lead in the production of electric vehicles.

"With the Technology Strategy Board’s funding, combined with the support of our consortium partners, Glasgow has the potential to become a centre of excellence for the development of zero emission transport.”

Lawrence Berns, CEO of Axeon noted, “As a leading provider of innovative EV battery technology Axeon is delighted to be a member of this consortium.  This project will enable us to further improve the performance of electric vehicle batteries by tailoring them to perform optimally in real-world conditions”.

Glasgow City Council’s Deputy Executive Member for Business and the Economy, Cllr Philip Braat, said: “We are delighted to be working with our consortium partners and the Technology Strategy Board to bring low carbon vehicles to Glasgow. Embracing these technologies is about creating a vibrant and successful future for the city; not only as Scotland’s greenest, but also one of the most sustainable cities in Europe.”

Matthew Harwood, Director of Strategic Market Development at Scottish Power, said: "Scottish Power is active in the development of low carbon technology in a number of areas and we are excited to be working on this project, which we believe could have a hugely positive impact both in Glasgow and across the UK.

"Scottish Power will be specifically looking at the technical aspects of the electricity network and the charging points that will be required to support electric vehicles."

Related Articles:

• Supporting GreenFleet Scottish Debut
• Ambitious Quest for Carbon Reduction
• Electric Vehicles Spark PM Interest
• 4.3 million pounds for Electric Vehicles
• Scottish Technology Showcase Goes Electric