A PIONEERING venture is being launched which aims to consolidate the North East’s pole position for development and training in the low carbon vehicle industry.
Gateshead College and regional development agency One North East are joining forces to create a new open-access test track facility.
The test track and workshop building at Nissan Sunderland Plant has been signed over to Gateshead College on a 20-year lease allowing the facilities to be used commercially.
One North East is investing £2.4m to fund the lease, the refurbishment of the on-site workshop and the initial running costs of the new facility, transforming the centre into a hub for low carbon vehicle development.
The centre will be the only one of its kind in Europe linked to a training facility. The £8.4m Skills Academy for Sustainable Manufacturing and Innovation is under construction at the same site and will also be run by Gateshead College.
Companies, academic institutes and researchers in the low carbon vehicle industry will be able to hire the test track and workshop on a shared or exclusive basis.
The test track is 3km long, has two straights which are each 1km long, a helipad, a range of road surfaces, and facilities for gradient testing and water testing.
The centre is intended to become an internationally-recognised, self-sustaining facility that will be run on a commercial basis and enable the industry to develop and grow in the North East.
As well as attracting companies to test and trial their new technologies in the North East, the centre will be available for use by any organisation involved in the automotive industry, including the five universities in the North East.
Mick Brophy, managing director of business, innovation and development, at Gateshead College, said: “This is another unique first for the college as we look to improve and extend the range and scope of commercial automotive training services provided to customers not only in the North East but throughout the UK. This exciting move will provide us with a unique research and development facility, underpinning, in particular, our growing expertise and reputation in delivering training in the growing electric vehicle sector.”
Dr Colin Herron, manufacturing and productivity manager at One North East, said: “This new facility will be a major boost for training, research and development in the low carbon vehicles sector in the UK.
“This will be an asset for regional and national companies, and will help to create new jobs by attracting international firms to the region.”
Nissan will continue to use the centre as it develops new vehicles in Sunderland including the 100% electric car, the Nissan Leaf.
Trevor Mann, Nissan senior vice president for manufacturing in Europe, said: “The test track and workshop are excellent facilities and we are sure they will be a valuable resource for all of us who are developing the low carbon vehicles sector in the North East.”
