OREANDA-NEWS. January 18, 2016. Transport Minister Robert Goodwill opened a new state-of-the-art testing facility in Milton Keynes that will support the government’s pledge for every new car and van to be emission-free by 2040.

The Intertek laboratory is the UK’s highest capacity electric and hybrid vehicle testing centre and ensures Britain’s world-leading plug-in car industry will have better access to the latest cutting-edge technology necessary to test the components used in new models.

During his visit, Robert Goodwill will see some of the new technology in action including battery simulators designed to test the latest plug-in cars with improved ranges, and the emissions measurement equipment measuring how plug-in vehicles are helping the industry meet tougher EU emission standards.

Minister of State for Transport Robert Goodwill said:

This impressive facility shows how the industry, with our support, is creating highly-skilled jobs and opportunities not just in Milton Keynes but across the whole automotive sector.

It makes perfect sense that global companies like Intertek would choose to expand their UK base when we are the largest market for ultra-low emission vehicles in Europe. We are backing industry with a £600 million investment until 2020 to ensure every new UK car and van is a zero emission vehicle by 2040.

Tony Braddon, MD of Intertek Milton Keynes said:

Intertek is privileged to work in partnership with the best of Britain’s automotive manufacturing industry to test and develop their vehicles’ powertrains to ensure they are the best they can be. Working together, Intertek has recognised that the future of the automotive industry is changing and moving into a high-tech future where the use of internal combustion engines is being augmented and superseded by hybrid technology, batteries and electric motors.

The expanded site will employ 100 people in and around Milton Keynes and support thousands more highly-skilled jobs across the country by bolstering the industry’s continued drive towards manufacturing greener, cleaner vehicles.

The government has pledged that the sale of all cars and vans are zero emission by 2040 to cut emissions and the Spending Review increased funding to £600 million between 2015 and 2020 to support the development, manufacture and uptake of low emission vehicles.