Zero will set up its new ‘Plant Zero.1’ technology centre at Bicester Heritage and undertake a major local recruitment drive for its joint development project with the Royal Air Force (RAF). The new facility provides 10,000ft2 of mixed laboratory and engineering space. This will be core to delivering the next step in development of the company’s groundbreaking technology, with the production of synthetic Zero® aviation fuels in the coming months.
The siting of the new centre at Bicester, a former RAF bomber base, will build on the region’s legacy in automotive and aviation innovation to create a new sustainable future for the two industries. Bicester Motion celebrates all aspects of motion, from historic motoring and aviation at Bicester Heritage, to EV and autonomous flight. Zero will provide a unique offering that is 100 per cent fossil-free, carbon neutral and fully scalable.
The creation of the new facility follows the recent announcement of the RAF contract and the completion of a second round of funding in July, in which a very high level of interest was shown by professional investors and global commercial partners from the aviation and automotive industries. The company will now bolster its core team of talented individuals with 25-30 new technical experts, from technicians to run rigs to performance and chemical engineers to develop the synthetic fuel technology.
Paddy Lowe, Zero founder and CEO, said:
“We have decided to position our technology centre at Bicester Heritage due to the abundance of highly skilled local labour and industries, which are directly relevant to the research facility we are building, as well as the site community’s forward thinking initiatives such as the ‘scramble’, which will allow us to present our programme to the public. We are looking forward to integrating with the other interesting and relevant businesses at Bicester Heritage. Our recent funding round was oversubscribed and has given us the ability to advance our strategic and commercial goals more rapidly. The majority of investors have also indicated their willingness to participate in further funding rounds, giving an indication of support which is extremely encouraging and a positive indication for our future plans. I would like to thank all of our investors for providing us with the resources to make this important step in the development of the Zero business.”