An innovative research project has received a share from UK government’s £38.2m prize to include Formula 1 technology to make family cars lighter, more fuel efficient and help plug-in vehicles to improve mileage.
A consortium which includes Jaguar and Land Rover and Nissan has won £1.7m to build 'light weighting' technology.
The project is one of the 130 car manufacturers, technology companies and research centres who will share the prize money.
The project and the prize money has been announced in the budget will create hi-tech jobs and help Britain in becoming a global leader to export state of the art, emission cutting technology.
.Under the project, Jaguar and Land Rover and Nissan consortium will apply science behind Formula 1 cars and space satellites to make passenger cars to weigh less and be more fuel efficient.
This could reduce the amount of steel for making the body of a car by almost half. The result is that automakers producing electric cars can extend their range by up to 25%.
UK Transport Minister Andrew Jones said: "Our £38 million investment will help Britain become a world leader in this exciting and valuable technology sector, creating skilled jobs of the future as part of our long-term economic plan."
"It will also mean lower running costs for motorists and less fuel consumption, which is good for the environment and our economy.
"This competition continues our £600 million commitment by 2020 to support the uptake of ultra-low emission vehicles, making journeys cheaper and greener, ensuring the nation is fit for the future."
UK Head of Transport at Innovate UK, Roland Meister said: "UK businesses have a great opportunity to be at the leading edge of the global drive to increase efficiency and reduce emissions from our vehicles."
"This £38 million of government support means that more than 130 innovative organisations right across the country now have the chance to get their ideas off the drawing board and potentially into the cars and trucks of the future, boosting the economy by at least £532 million in the process."
