The government has awarded more than £6m to support ultra-low emission taxis across the country, with a further £14m in support for hydrogen refuelling.
The Department for Transport said the cash will see almost 300 rapid charge points and 46 fast chargepoints installed for ultra-low emission taxis in 17 local authority areas.
Roads minister Jesse Norman, also known as the future of mobility minister, said the funding will support almost 4,000 ultra low emission vehicles across the country and hailed it is a further sign that the UK is making real progress in the transition to greener transport.
Business minister Richard Harrington, also known as the automotive minister, said: ‘This will also point the way for a better, healthier future for us all as part of the government’s modern Industrial Strategy which builds on the government’s long-standing partnership with the UK automotive sector.'
Officials said it is estimated that more than 800 ultra-low emission black cabs and more than 3,000 ultra-low emission private hire vehicles will benefit from the new chargepoints.
The winners of a £14m competition to fund hydrogen fuel cell vehicle and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure projects have also been announced.
Officials said the technology gives vehicles a range of more than 300 miles and and refuelling within three to five minutes.
Hydrogen for transport programme stage 2 competition: projects awarded funding
- Tees Valley Hydrogen Transport Initiative, Consortium: Tees Valley Combined Authority (UK), Materials Processing Institute, Northern Gas Networks: £1,303,500
- Hydrogen Mobility Expansion Project II, Consortium: Element Energy, ITM Power (trading) Ltd, Toyota (GB) Plc, Hyundai Motor UK Ltd: £3,070,000
- Northern Ireland Hydrogen Transport, Consortium: Viridian Energy Supply Limited, Translink (Ulsterbus), HyEnergy Consultancy Ltd: £1,953,937
- Riversimple Clean Mobility Fleet, Consortium: Riversimple Movement Ltd, Monmouth County Council: £1,249,670
- Towards commercial deployment of FCEV buses and hydrogen refuelling, Consortium: BOC Ltd, Merseytravel (Liverpool City Region, Aberdeen City Council and Arcola Energy): £6.419,038
