The electric vehicle industry is set to receive an addition £16.6million investment to give semiconductor researchers and businesses the tools to help manufacture chips for cars.
The funding boost forms part of the Governments support packages for the roll out of more electric vehicles in the UK.
As part of the money, £14m will be used to create semiconductors used in power electronics, which is where chips convert and control power in energy intensive machines, including electric vehicles and manufacturing equipment.
The inhouse investment looks to move away from purchasing semiconductors for electric vehicle car batteries in China.
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£14m will be used to create semiconductors used in power electronics
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As the UK accelerates its ambitious net zero plans, the funding is hoped to help move progress along in this field.
The new tools, based predominantly in Newcastle and Strathclyde, will help researchers and businesses test applications of new innovations in power electronics and improve their semiconductor processes.
Saqib Bhatti, Technology Minister, said: “New innovations in the way we package up semiconductors have the potential to transform whole industries and vastly improve consumer devices, all while driving long-term economic growth.
“This investment in open-access technology will make sure British researchers have the tools they need to rapidly turn semiconductor science into business reality, all while making hugely energy intensive sectors more sustainable.”
Funding will also be used to help manufacturers improve the technology used to automate assembly processes, as well as help build and test drives are used to in electric vehicles.
Mike Biddle, executive director of net zero at Innovate UK, added: “It is exciting to see the breadth of activity in semiconductor packaging as well as electric machine validation and manufacturing.
“The majority of this investment is strategically aligned with the National Semiconductor Strategy and helps grow the high-value post-wafer capabilities within the UK.”
The UK has recently benefited from numerous car makers investing in electric vehicle plants such as the Jaguar Land Rover gigafactory in Somerset.
Tata, which owns the popular car brand announced it will be building a new gigafactory based in Gravity Smart Campus near Bridgwater, Somerset to help roll out its electric car production.
The factory is expected to bring in £4billion worth of investment and will create up to 4,000 jobs, it is expected to open in 2026.
Speaking previously to GB News, former Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “This is the country’s largest ever car production investment that we’ve ever seen.
“It really puts the UK in the fast lane of electric vehicle production and I’m very proud that we’ve brought that to the UK with all of the jobs it will bring.”
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The mandate sets minimum annual targets, starting with a requirement for 22 per cent of new cars sold in 2024
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The Government recently announced ambitious plans to increase the level of electric vehicles on UK roads.
This included having 80 per cent of new cars and 70 per cent of new vans sold in the UK have zero emission by 2030, increasing to 100 per cent by 2035.
The mandate sets minimum annual targets, starting with a requirement for 22 per cent of new cars sold in 2024 to be zero emission.
