The UK government is launching a nationwide competition to find the next innovation in batteries. The £10 million ($15.46 million) prize will be awarded to a single UK-based consortium that demonstrates the idea for a commercially viable battery pack for the next generation of ultra-low emission vehicles and is ready for production and integration into cars and other road vehicles.

"The challenge is to draw on the UK's world-class scientific research and develop a battery which is at the cutting edge of innovation, commercially viable and ready to be put into production,” says Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander.

The competition is open to all UK research establishments working with UK-based vehicle manufacturers, and will open for bids in April with a winner announced in the summer.

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