Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether manufacturers of hydrogen internal combustion engines are eligible to receive grants for large scale industrialisation from the Automotive Transformation Fund.

The Automotive Transformation Fund (ATF) supports late-stage R&D and capital investments across strategically important parts of the electric vehicle supply chain. Securing battery cell manufacturing (gigafactories) is a priority, with targeted investment in battery materials, motors, drives, power electronics and hydrogen fuel cells and storage also required. Information about open funding competitions and further detail on scope and eligibility can be found on the IFS portal: https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk/competition/search.

As part of the Net Zero Strategy, the Government announced a further £350m to be delivered through the ATF over the next three years to support development of an internationally competitive electric vehicle supply chain here in the UK. This is additional to the £500m announced as part of my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s 10 Point Plan.

The funding for ATF is part of the up to £1 billion committed by the Government to ensure that the UK takes advantage of this once in a generation opportunity.