Government offers £15m for research into cutting freight emissions

The government is calling on companies to compete for funding to develop technology to reduce harmful emissions from freight. It has earmarked £15 million for the research.

Roads minister Jesse Norman said: “We have made important progress in lowering emissions and are always looking at further ways of improving air quality.”

The competition has been developed with Innovate UK and will help the government achieve its ambition to be a global leader in electric vehicle technology and to see all new vehicles emission free by 2040.

Simon Edmonds, director manufacturing and materials at Innovate UK, said: “We welcome this significant further investment in zero emission research and development funding, in particular its focus on freight and commercial vehicles as this is a major opportunity for UK companies to drive forward innovations.”