How the UK is powering automotive innovation and decarbonisation
Ian Constance, CEO, Advanced Propulsion Centre UK
Originally delivered at the Made in the UK, Sold to the World Roadshow, Birmingham, May 2025
At the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC), we are proud to be a joint venture between the UK Government and the automotive industry, championing innovation that drives the decarbonisation of road transport and industrial processes. As CEO, I’m fortunate to lead an organisation that not only supports groundbreaking research but also ensures it turns into real-world products, jobs, and competitive advantage for the UK.
Turning innovation into impact
Over more than a decade, APC has enabled over £1.6 billion in collaborative research and development. This investment has directly created or safeguarded around 60,000 high-value jobs within the UK automotive sector. Even more impressive, the outputs of these projects are set to save over 425 million tonnes of CO₂. That’s equivalent to removing the lifetime emissions of around 15 million petrol or diesel vehicles from our roads.
This isn’t just innovation for innovation’s sake. It’s the translation of ideas into cleaner, more efficient technologies that are already reducing emissions and strengthening the UK economy.
Scaling up for a sustainable future
Through our partnership with the UK Government and Department for Business and Trade, we also manage the Automotive Transformation Fund, which supports the commercial scaling of key technologies like battery gigafactories, electric drive units, fuel cells, motors, and power electronics. These are essential building blocks for the low-carbon vehicles of the future, and they are being developed and built right here in the UK.
Why the West Midlands matters
The UK’s automotive heartbeat lies in the West Midlands. With global brands like Jaguar Land Rover, Aston Martin, Norton, and Triumph headquartered in the region, and a world-class supply chain to match, this area is an epicentre of manufacturing excellence.
What sets the UK apart is our range of expertise. We don’t just build cars, we design and manufacture everything from heavy-duty machinery and buses to agricultural tractors, premium sports cars, vans, and motorcycles.
This makes the UK’s automotive sector the nation’s largest exporter of goods, generating £100 billion in trade annually and supplying vehicles to over 140 markets worldwide.
Heritage + innovation = global leadership
The UK’s industrial heritage is not just history, it’s the bedrock of our modern capabilities. Our ability to produce high-quality, complex products at scale is underpinned by skills forged since the industrial revolution. Yet, we remain forward-looking.
For us, innovation is more than just big ideas. It’s about taking those ideas through development and into commercially viable solutions. It’s the full journey – from concept to customer-ready product – and APC is structured to support every step.
A unique innovation ecosystem
Our support spans the entire innovation lifecycle, from early-stage research and proof of concept to commercialisation and scale-up. What sets our ecosystem apart is its simplicity and speed: clear pathways, expert guidance, and collaborative funding models.
The UK also excels in cross-sector collaboration and boasts some of the world’s top technical institutions. In the West Midlands alone, universities such as Birmingham, Aston, Warwick, and Coventry are deeply embedded in industrial partnerships. Facilities like WMG (Warwick Manufacturing Group), the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), and HORIBA MIRA provide the advanced tools and expertise to turn ideas into reality.
Government-backed initiatives like the Faraday Battery Challenge and the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre further demonstrate the UK’s commitment to building a world-leading clean transport sector.
Showcasing British ingenuity: OX Delivers
As showcased at the Made in the UK, Sold to the World Roadshow, one compelling example of the innovation we support is OX Delivers. This is a local startup that has developed a rugged, flat-pack truck designed for assembly in developing regions, including Rwanda where it is currently being tested. Built to operate in some of the toughest environments on Earth, it offers a scalable solution to logistics challenges in emerging markets. It is an outstanding example of how British engineering is solving global problems while opening up new commercial opportunities.
Taking UK innovation global
The APC plays a pivotal role in helping British automotive innovators reach global audiences. With the support of the Department for Business and Trade, we take UK innovation to major international events—from Tokyo to Detroit—connecting companies with investors and customers worldwide.
2 billion more opportunities
To ensure this momentum continues, the UK Government has committed an additional £2 billion over the next five years to support further innovation, commercial scale-up, and targeted funding for high-potential startups. It is a strong signal that the UK is serious about leading the global transition to net-zero transport.
Trade deals and a shifting global market landscape make this a moment of opportunity. The UK is uniquely positioned to seize it.
Final thoughts
Whether you are a global buyer looking for cutting-edge automotive solutions, or a UK innovator seeking support to bring your product to market, one thing is clear: the UK is ready. We have the expertise, the ecosystem, and the energy to shape the future of mobility.
And it is all happening right here, made in the UK, sold to the world.
