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29^th April 2003 (Source: DfT )

The Government is asking car makers to design and build a new

affordable, ultra low carbon family car, Alistair Darling Secretary

of State for Transport announced today.

Although development work has started on a new generation of fuel

efficient cars - hydrogen powered for example - these are likely to

be 15 to 20 years from production. As a stepping stone towards that,

more urgent improvements are needed.

So, under a new project called the Ultra Low Carbon Car Challenge,

the motor industry is being asked to submit proposals for a new car

which is capable of travelling 1,000 miles before needing a refill

and of being mass produced within 4 to 8 years.

More than one proposal may be taken forward under the Department for

Transport's New Vehicle Technology Fund which has a budget of #10

million over 3 years. The money will go towards the costs of building

a demonstration vehicle.

The successful demonstration vehicles will be:

- A full size family car

- Affordable and capable of being mass produced within a near to

medium term timescale

- Have tail pipe CO2 emissions of less than 90 grammes per kilometre

(compared with over 175g/km for a similar new petrol car today)

- Be fuel efficient and travel around 1000 miles between refill, with

today's 12 gallon tank.

- Capable of doing 80miles per gallon or more, compared to today's

average of 36 miles per gallon.

Alistair Darling said:

" We must cut down on air pollution caused by cars. I want the

industry to produce an affordable family car for the mass market,

within 4 - 8 years".

"Climate Change means we must change the way we make and use energy.

And it is also an opportunity for this country to exploit our

technology and skills to build competitive advantage in the global

market place - including the multi-billion automotive sector".

"The challenge, which is an essential part of our transport strategy,

shows how new car technology is good for the environment and good for

the car buyer. It also creates new opportunities for this country's

car makers and component industry. It is a stepping stone to even

more fuel efficient cars in the future"

Welcoming the move, Environment Minister Lord Whitty said:

"I wish manufacturers all the best in their efforts to create an

ultra-low carbon car. I hope that the competition will spur them on

to combine innovation and efficiency, in a way that will bring huge

gains for the environment."

The challenge comes at the same time as the Department for Transport

together with DEFRA, The Treasury and the DTI, announced the launch

of 'Driver Cleaner, Drive Cheaper'. The brochure is aimed at car

drivers and shows how they can benefit from the low taxation on

greener fuels and vehicles and Government grants. Notes to editors

The funding is available under the New Vehicle Technology Fund. The

fund is a Department for Transport programme, helping companies to

design, build and road test new vehicle technologies. It links up

with the DTI Foresight Vehicle programme which supports ideas through

the research stages.

Both programmes form part of the Government's Powering Future

Vehicles Strategy, published in July 2002, to promote the UK's shift

to low carbon vehicles and fuels, and to ensure that the UK

automotive industries secure competitive advantage in the global

market place for clean vehicle technologies.

Current New Vehicle Technology Fund projects include the

'Electricity' micro- turbine bus developed by Wrights of Northern

Ireland, hybrid diesel buses and an LPG-fuelled urban delivery van.

The ultra-low carbon car competition is not technology specific - the

requirements are specified in terms of the level of well to wheel CO2

emissions to be achieved, car size and motoring performance, and

affordability.

Ultra-low carbon cars could us a range of technological advances,

including lightweight materials, advanced transmission and gear

systems, and 'hybrid' engine systems which use a combination of

internal combustion engines and battery power to get maximum overall

engine efficiency at every level of speed, with energy used in

braking captured and recycled instead of being thrown away in waste

heat, and the engine switches off automatically when the vehicle is

at rest.

One hybrid car is currently on sale in the UK - the Toyota Prius,

which has CO2 performance of 120 grammes per kilometre. A Honda Civic

hybrid (115g/km) goes on sale in the UK shortly. Purchasers receive a

Government grant of #1,000.

The competition launched today is a challenge to the auto industry to

move a further large step beyond today's best fuel economy and carbon

performance.

Public Enquiries:

Department for Transport Website: http://www.dft.gov.uk

Powering Future Vehicles - the Government Strategy. Published by DfT,

DTI, DEFRA and HM Treasury, with a Foreword by the Prime Minister.

July 2002. Available on www.roads.dft.gov.uk/power.html/index.htm

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