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Commercial vehicle technology is set to benefit from a Department for Transport-backed development programme for low-carbon vehicles. The Integrated Delivery Programme was announced last week by the Technology Strategy Board, a collaboration between public and private sectors which includes the likes of Leyland Trucks, Ford, Land Rover and MIRA on its advisory panel. The programme is to receive a total of £100m of public-sector co-funding.

In the first phase, £10m will be made available to develop a more efficient, cost-effective electric and hybrid vehicle, while the second phase will focus more on large-scale CO2 reduction. Four further technology programmes will target carbon reduction in the road transport sector in 2011.

John R Wood, managing director at MIRA, says: "The technologies employed will be based on a broad system that will encompass not just passenger cars but road transport in general, and that means commercial vehicles. In fact the duty cycles of certain CVs are an ideal way to test future systems due to their stop/start characteristics. Furthermore, light vans can act as a bridge between the two sides."