Warwick to host £1bn low carbon vehicle UK hub

Warwick will become a hub for the low carbon vehicle industry in the UK, after being selected for a £1 billion Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) development.

The APC started in 2013 as part of a 10 year government commitment to the development of low carbon transport systems and the site at Warwick University will comprise the main site.

The new hub is set to open in the autumn and the locations of other regional sites are due to be revealed in the coming months.

The APC will help provide the UK automotive industry with the resources and facilities to develop advanced transport systems and will create more than 30,000 jobs in the research, development and production of vehicle powertrains.

The government-backed initiative invested around £130 million in April for a number of projects, including improvements to the energy efficiency of Ford's EcoBoost engines, and a project to use Formula 1 technology to reduce fuel consumption in industrial diggers.

A further £75 million funding is due in September and it will take investment during 2014 past £200 million.

In a statement the APC cited the Warwick University site's ease of access, proximity to a skilled work force, and scope for expansion as the key reasons it was chosen.

Vince Cable, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, said: "The Advanced Propulsion Centre is spearheading the UK's drive to develop new greener engines. The news that the University of Warwick will host the headquarters for the centre means we can accelerate our research into the next generation of automotive technology."