Multi-million pound investment for zero-emission vehicle technology

The Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC) and the Department for Business and Trade have announced an £85.8 million-pound package of investment for the automotive industry to enable innovative zero-emission vehicle technologies. The package includes contributions from the UK Government and industry, with the latter providing almost half of the total funding. 

The work facilitated by this package will result in the creation of significant amounts of intellectual property. While some of the goals will simply involve bringing the technology to market, many of the objectives will need effective protection of the intellectual property to achieve the industrial aims. 

In the £59.9 million Collaborative Research and Development programme, £29.6 million of grant is provided by the Department for Business and Trade, with the balance being provided by industry. The aim of reducing CO₂ in the manufacturing and usage of zero-emission vehicles has a global benefit. Raising economic growth and creating or safeguarding green jobs in the UK will require protection of the relevant intellectual property if these activities are not to move elsewhere.

In the third round of the Advanced Route to Market Demonstrator competition (ARMD3) (£18.3 million, with £9.1 million from the Department for Business and Trade, matched by industry funding), fast-start projects have 12 months to demonstrate a product, system, or vehicle with a clear route to market. Not only will the industrial partners need to protect their intellectual property to support this route to market, they will need to do so quickly given the need to file patent applications before publicly disclosing the inventions. 

The Automotive Transformation Fund Feasibility Studies (£4.6 million, including £2.3 million of government grant) look into battery technologies and supply chain to accelerate the electrification of the automotive sector the UK and protect competitiveness in the global market. Effective protection of intellectual property is key to protecting such competitiveness. 

Companies in the Technology Developer Accelerator Programme (TDAP) will receive up to £170,000 in grant funding. If these companies are to attract further private investment, they will need to show investors that their intellectual property is secure. 

Overall, this package is an investment in UK intellectual property. Effective management and protection of this intellectual property will be key to achieving its goals.