Innovative, low cost ultra-low emission urban vehicle for business and personal use

一个为期六个月的项目，旨在加快现有的研发计划，开发一种创新的超低排放车辆。项目产出将创造一个投资准备提案，以吸引短期和股权投资，并开始生产和销售。该项目将使整体项目时间表缩短约12个月，并降低整体投资要求和风险。这款独特的人电混合动力汽车针对两个不同的市场，这两个市场都与COVID-19复苏直接相关。企业和个人都迫切需要削减成本，包括交通成本。这推动了个体经营者和移动的员工对“货运自行车”的商业需求。个人和家庭正在购买更多的自行车和电动自行车。旨在减少城市交通碳排放和空气污染的政策和基础设施投资也推动了对低排放车辆的需求，取代了汽车和货车。COVID-19阻碍了公共交通的使用，扩大了对自行车和电动自行车的需求。此外，城市正在引入“低交通量社区”（LTN），禁止或不鼓励汽车和货车。这种新型车辆的特点和优点克服了骑自行车作为传统小型货车和汽车日常城市交通的可行替代品的主要障碍。这些福利适用于英国和其他地方的任何城市环境。因此，这一概念具有巨大的增长和出口潜力，这将有助于支持英国制造业的“绿色复苏”。大多数项目工作将由通过竞争性招标指定的专业分包商进行。将购买外部专业知识和能力，以支持生产设计、知识产权管理、电子商务、市场测试和原型制造。

A six-month project to accelerate an existing R&D programme to develop an innovative, ultra-low emission vehicle. Project outputs will create an investment-ready proposition to attract short term and equity investment and start production and sales. The project will reduce overall programme timescales by approximately 12 months and overall investment requirements and risks will be reduced.This unique human-electric hybrid vehicle is aimed at two distinct markets, both directly relevant for COVID-19 recovery. Both businesses and individuals urgently need to cut their costs - including for transport. This is driving business demand for "cargo-bikes" for sole-traders and mobile workers. Individuals and households are buying more bicycles and electric-assisted cycles ("e-bikes").Policies and infrastructure investment designed to cut urban transport carbon emissions and air pollution are also driving demand for Low Emission Vehicles, displacing cars and vans. COVID-19 has discouraged use of public transport, amplifying demand for bicycles and e-bikes. Also, cities are introducing "low-traffic neighbourhoods" (LTN) where cars and vans are banned or discouraged.Large scale modal shift to human-electric hybrid vehicles is limited by design weaknesses dating back over 100 years. The features and benefits of the new vehicle overcome the key obstacles to cycling as a viable alternative to conventional small vans and cars for day-to-day urban transport. These benefits are applicable in any urban setting in the UK and elsewhere. The concept therefore has substantial growth and export potential, which will help support "green recovery" in the UK manufacturing sector.Most project work will be carried out by specialist sub-contractors appointed via competitive tender. External expertise and capacity will be bought in to support design for production, IP management, e-commerce, market testing and prototype manufacture.