Five years ago Cenex and the Technology Strategy Board launched the first National Low Carbon Vehicle (LCV) Event. The aim was to establish a single large-scale “Show and Tell” event, aiming to showcase the very best of UK supply chain capabilities in emerging low carbon vehicle technologies.
Five years on and four shows later, the LCV event has established its unique positioning for the Low Carbon Vehicle community in the UK, combining a technology show with broad B2B focus, along with a Ride & Drive in a test track environment, delegations of international visitors and an extensive seminar programme. This year's event (LCV2012), which takes place at Millbrook Proving Ground on the 5th and 6th September (www.cenex-lcv.co.uk), is expected to attract more than 100 exhibitors, at least 750 attending organisations and up to 2,500 delegates.
The event mixes the full range of stakeholders from the Low Carbon Vehicle community, including the car companies, their motor industry supply chain, Universities, Government officials, energy and charge post infrastructure suppliers and very importantly, fleet operators.
For the fleet operators, the LCV event has traditionally provided a window into the future of low carbon vehicles, whilst also offering fleet managers the opportunity to test drive the latest electric, hybrid electric and alternatively fuelled cars, vans and trucks. Many of the fleet operators who have attended past events have been from the local authority sector and have either been trialling low carbon vehicles and adopting charge post and alternative fuelled vehicles as part of Government funded demonstration programmes, or considering doing so. The fleet seminar activities at LCV events have acted as a means of alerting fleets to funding opportunities and providing a forum for fleets to share learning from trial activities with peers, as well as learn more about the latest vehicle technologies from experts in the field.
For technology providers the LCV event offers the opportunity to showcase new technology, network with peers and establish links with companies, leading to future collaborations in aspects of Research, Development and Demonstration with funding support from the Technology Strategy Board and from the European Commission.
The high level Government support for LCV2012 includes the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS), the Automotive Council, the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV), the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the Technology Strategy Board and UK Trade & Investment.
The importance of the low carbon transition was recently highlighted by Paul Everitt, CEO of SMMT at the launch of the SMMT's 13th Annual Sustainability Report when he said, “Our industry is also at the forefront of the drive to a low carbon economy attracting investment in the research, development and manufacture of low and ultra-low carbon technologies, creating new jobs and growth opportunities throughout the supply chain and introducing attractive products that are reducing transport emissions as well.” The alignment of the motor industry toward the goal of low carbon bodes well with fleet manager's aspirations for cost effective solutions to low carbon and low pollutant emission transport.
In summary, LCV2012 is one of the must attend events in the diary, so hopefully we will see you there.
For more information and to register for LCV2012 visit www.cenex-lcv.co.uk
