Toyota will lead a £30.3 million research and development project in Derbyshire to create a lightweight battery electric vehicle aimed at the urban mobility market. The initiative, funded under the UK Government’s DRIVE35 Collaborate programme, includes a £15 million grant from the Department for Business and Trade through the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC).
The project will focus on validating a small, lightweight electric vehicle in the L6e category, designed to address rising demand for sustainable transport in dense urban areas. Manufacturing and testing will take place at Toyota Manufacturing UK’s Burnaston facility, reinforcing the company’s long-term investment in Britain’s automotive R&D sector.
The vehicle will feature an integrated solar roof, enhanced connectivity, and sustainable lightweight materials intended to support recycling and resource recovery.
The consortium brings together industry and academic partners, including ELM, which specialises in lightweight delivery vehicles; Savcor, leading the development of solar photovoltaic roofs; and the University of Derby, which will research user behaviour and the role of solar energy in micromobility. Toyota Motor Europe will contribute by supporting skills development among the Burnaston team.
Rik Adams, Innovation Delivery Director, The Advanced Propulsion Centre UK, said:
“APC is very proud to be able to support Toyota with this Electric Vehicle (EV) urban mobility project, which embodies much of what DRIVE35 aims to support – innovation, UK competitiveness, productivity, and zero emission vehicles. As an integral part of the UK automotive industry, we are delighted that Toyota is partnering with some of our innovative SME businesses, such as ELM, and our world-class academics from the University of Derby, to deliver a cutting-edge vehicle concept designed, developed, and tested in the UK.”
The collaboration aims to strengthen the UK’s competitiveness in low-carbon vehicle innovation and promote growth across the electric mobility supply chain.
