UK announces green car trial funding winners

The companies are among eight consortia picked by the UK government's Technology Strategy Board to participate in its Ultra Low Carbon Vehicle Demonstrator competition, designed to hasten the delivery of low carbon cars and to consumers.

With the help of consortia comprising auto manufacturers, power utilities, local government bodies and academic institution, the massive trialling program is aimed at furnishing all participants with a comprehensive information base informing the future direction of consumer motoring.

Funding from the board assists the auto makers in putting the cars on the road through a limited customer base at viable monthly lease rates.

Ford's Focus Battery Electric Vehicle
Ford will commence road trials on a fleet of Focus Battery Electric Vehicles in the UK next year. Developed at Ford's Essex R&D centre in cohorts with long-time electric delivery van specialist Smith Electric Vehicles, the fleet is part of a £25 million government-funded project which will see eight companies putting more than 300 cars on the road throughout 2009 and 2010.

The Focus EV's permanent magnet motor puts its 50kW to the road through a single-speed transmission, with power coming from a 21kWh lithium ion phosphate battery.

It's the first sedan incarnation of the Ford-SEV Tourneo Connect concept. They claim a range of about 160km and a top speed of around 130km/h. A full charge takes six to eight hours from a domestic mains outlet.

MINI E
The BMW Group has announced a 12-month trial of the MINI E on UK roads to 'evaluate the technical and social aspects of living with an all-electric vehicle in a real world environment'. 

The MINI E consortium includes power and infrastructure utility Scottish and Southern Energy, the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), Oxford City and Oxfordshire County Councils, with academic input from Oxford Brookes University's Sustainable Vehicle Engineering Centre.

Daimler's electric smart
Daimler's smart division has the jump on competitors, having trialled 100 lithium-ion powered electric smarts in the UK since 2007. smart's London and South East consortium, includes power utility EDF Energy, Greater London Authority, Elektromotive and Westminster City Council.  smart is also involved in the West Midlands consortium, put together by engineering multinational Ove Arup & Partners.

Daimler has announced plans to put the car into limited production, and will bring 100 more cars to the UK early next year.

The smart EV features technology developed by US battery car pioneer, Telsa Motors. Daimler recently purchased a share of Tesla (more here).

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