Advanced Propulsion Centre Impact Evaluation
Ipsos in the UK were commissioned by the Department for Business and Trade to undertake an impact evaluation of the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC), a programme established to accelerate the development of low-carbon and zero-emission vehicle technologies in the UK automotive sector.
Our approach
Ipsos led a mixed-method impact evaluation combining programme data, stakeholder consultations, project-level case studies and advanced econometric analysis. The research examined the programme's effects on business investment, innovation, employment and productivity, and explored the additional value generated by public support for automotive R&D.
What we found
The evaluation found that the APC has been highly effective in stimulating additional research and development activity across the UK automotive sector.
- Firms receiving APC funding increased their R&D expenditure by an estimated 7% compared with what would have been expected without support.
- Around 67% of R&D spending supported through APC grants was estimated not to have occurred in the absence of the programme.
- Between 2013 and 2022, the programme generated an estimated £1 billion of additional R&D investment, leveraging approximately £2.20 of private-sector R&D spending for every £1 of public funding.
- Increased investment in innovation was accompanied by growth in the R&D workforce, with the programme estimated to have created or safeguarded around 8,300 R&D employment years.
The case study evidence also demonstrated how APC funding helped businesses de-risk investment decisions, strengthen UK supply chains and attract globally mobile R&D activity to the UK.
Impact
The evaluation provided robust evidence that public investment through the APC has delivered substantial additional private-sector R&D investment and supported the UK's transition to cleaner automotive technologies. By combining quantitative impact analysis with detailed business case studies, Ipsos helped government understand both the scale of the programme's economic impact and the mechanisms through which those impacts were achieved.
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