The UK Government has just launched a £2 million competition to promote roll-out of hydrogen-fuelled fleet vehicles. Public and private sector fleets can get up to 75% off the cost of zero-emission fuel cell electric vehicles.
The £2 million fund was launched by the UK Government’s Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) on Tuesday 10th May 2016, to encourage more businesses to switch to hydrogen-fuelled vehicles. The Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) Fleet Support Scheme will allow local authorities, health trusts, police forces, fire brigades and private companies to bid for funding to add hydrogen-powered vehicles to their fleets. This could bring up to 100 more hydrogen fuel cell cars and vans onto our roads by next spring – the equivalent of tripling the number of vehicles currently in use.
Transport Minister Andrew Jones said ‘We are always looking at new ways to make the vehicles of the future cleaner, and hydrogen fuel cells are an important part of our vision for almost all cars and vans to be zero-emission by 2050. This funding, along with the growing network of hydrogen refuelling stations opening in England, will help businesses and the public sector to get on board with this exciting technology. This is further proof that we are leading the way in making journeys cleaner and protecting the environment.’
The money will cover up to 75% of the costs of new vehicles bought by April 2017, as well as the cost of running them for up to 3 years. Support will also be available for the leasing or renting of vehicles, insurance, hydrogen fuel and servicing. This OLEV support for research and development of ultra low emission vehicles (ULEV), as well as supporting infrastructure and the market for these vehicles, make the UK one of the most attractive places to invest in ULEV technology in the world.
Bids for the FCEV Fleet Support Scheme must be submitted by Monday 4th July 2016, and there will also be a workshop for potential applicants on Friday 27th May. Successful bidders will be informed later this year.
Link to Guidance Note for Applicants is here!