Two final projects have been awarded funding under the Australian Government’s Green Car Innovation Fund for a Greener Future .

 

The Very Small Particle Company in Brisbane will receive $2 million to develop better materials for electric car batteries, while Nissan Casting in Melbourne will receive $3 million towards the manufacture of inverter cases, which will be a key component for the next model of Nissan’s LEAF zero emission electric vehicle.

 

The projects are funded under the Green Car Innovation Fund (GCIF), part of the New Car Plan for a Greener Future. The Fund was closed to new applications in January this year to help fund flood recovery. Since it was opened in April 2009, the GCIF has allocated funds totalling $307 million to 12 projects. The largest grant was $149 million to GM Holden for development of its Cruze low emission car.

 

Other elements of the $5.4 billion New Car Plan will continue, including the $3.4 billion Automotive Transformation Scheme, the Automotive Industry Structural Adjustment Program, the Automotive Supply Chain Development Program, the Automotive Market Access Program and the Automotive Industry Innovation Council.

 

More information on the New Car Plan and the CGIF is at www.ausindustry.gov.au