Hydrogen car maker Riversimple, the firm behind the innovative Rasa hydrogen fuel cell two-seater coupe, has revealed plans to build a new factory in Aberdeen.
It says it hopes to build a new 150,000 sq ft manufacturing facility in the north east of Scotland, potentially creating more than 800 jobs.
However, despite substantial investment, Riversimple has previously pushed back its production start date for the Rasa vehicle on several occasions.
Now, whether Riversimple will relocate to Scotland depends on a number of factors, with the most important being if the north east of Scotland can secure green freeport status.
Representatives from the firm will join parliamentarians and other business leaders at a private meeting in the Palace of Westminster, to put its green freeport campaign to the government.
Riversimple has signed a letter supporting the North East Scotland Green Freeport bid, citing that the tax status, combined with the existing energy sector supply chain, would boost the chances of the firm investing in the area.
The Rasa two-seater has four electric motors - one for each wheel - and a 8.5kW hydrogen fuel cell.
Riversimple claims the vehicle has a range of 300 miles with just 1.5kg of hydrogen onboard, with former race team owner and Riversimple owner Hugo Spowers describing the Rasa as “the most energy efficient car on the planet”.
The Rasa has supercapacitors in the front of the car to store energy from the brakes, while the composite carbon fibre chassis allows for a low overall weight of 580kg.
Riversimple says that if they were to go ahead with the plant in Aberdeen, it could have the potential to build 5000 cars each year.
Spowers will seek to create two green freeports in Scotland by next year.
In Riversimple’s letter in support of the North East Scotland Green freeport bid, the firm said, "Aberdeen, as a leading hydrogen city, and the surrounding region is attractive to our business on account of the hydrogen initiatives already underway.
“North East Scotland Green Freeport, with its stated aim of making the North East of Scotland the Net Zero Capital of Europe and a global pioneer of hydrogen energy, would make the region even more attractive to us, increasing significantly the likelihood of our investment into the region.”
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