INTELLIGENT BRANDS // Green Technology
Cleaner future brings major
economic opportunities to
automotive industry
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together signatories from around the world
to agree the Birmingham Declaration and
we hope, helping to create a cleaner, greener
legacy for future generations.”
Tim Porter, Managing Director of Lex
Autolease, the vehicle leasing arm of Lloyds
Banking Group, commented: “As the global
automotive industry goes through this
transformative period, the leasing industry
has a huge role to play. We have been
working with customers for a number of
years to help them upgrade to low emission
vehicles – where it’s the right move for them
as individual drivers or fleets.
T
he UK recently held the world’s first
Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Summit,
bringing together representatives
from across the globe to support and
collaborate on a zero-emission future for
transport around the world.
Ministers, officials and business leaders from
over 40 countries descended on Birmingham
and Bedford for the two-day event, which
sought to accelerate investment in both
zero-emission technology and infrastructure.
The Prime Minister, Theresa May, told
delegates at day one of the conference in
Birmingham that she wants to see Britain
“leading from the front and working with
industries and countries around the world to
spearhead change.”
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“One of the key benefits of leasing an
electric vehicle is that customers avoid any
of the potential risk associated with its
future resale value. With battery technology
and range continuing to improve, electric
vehicles are fast becoming suitable for
mainstream motorists. With this in mind,
we’re pleased to have announced our new
£1 million fund to encourage wider take up
of zero emission technology.”
And to help support that aim, the government
has pledged £106 million for research and
development in zero emission vehicles, new
batteries and low carbon technology.
This will be bolstered by over £500 million
worth of investment, creating over 1,000
jobs across the UK.
A total of 55 people spoke at the summit,
including keynotes from companies such
as Nissan, who emphasised the need to
focus not only on the car, but on the energy
network too.
Jesse Norman, Roads Minister, commented:
“We are working to create a platform for
international cooperation and knowledge
sharing on emissions issues, gathering
The summit follows the Prime Minister’s
ambition set out earlier this year to put
the UK at the forefront of the design and
manufacturing of zero emission vehicles and
for all new cars and vans to be effectively
zero emission by 2040. The government’s
Road to Zero Strategy published in July set
out a clear pathway to zero emissions to give
clarity and certainty to both industry and
motorists.
The work is all part of the government’s
Future of Mobility Grand Challenge,
outlined in its modern Industrial Strategy,
aiming to help reduce greenhouse gas
emissions, make travel safer, improve
accessibility and present enormous
economic opportunities for the UK. n
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