Starmer: UK has enormous potential to take the lead with net zero industry

Sir Keir Starmer has said the UK has “enormous potential” to take a global lead in creating a net zero industry.

Speaking at a visit today (December 12) to electrification upcycling firm Lunaz in Silverstone, Northamptonshire, the Labour leader also praised the company for its work so far to help drive down emissions.

Starmer said: “Fast-growth clean technology companies like Lunaz show the incredible talent, innovation and ingenuity that exists here in Britain.

“We will back to the hilt the ambition and innovation of British business. The UK has enormous potential to take a global leadership position in the critical path to net zero industry. Companies like Lunaz show how it can be done.”

Starmer’s visit to Lunaz coincided with the firm announcing it would double its current workforce of 175 to 350 ‘by the middle of 2025’ at its headquarters next to the famous Silverstone race track.

Lunaz was founded in 2018 to upcycle existing vehicles, with the firm having two arms. The first is the commercial sector, where the firm refurbishes vehicles like Biffa bin lorries by swapping out the typical diesel engine and making them electric instead.

The firm says it ‘saves more than 80 per cent’ of the carbon emissions involved in production compared with replacing it with a new vehicle, and reduces the cost of purchase by 25 per cent.

The second part of Lunaz is upcycling classic cars by equipping them with an electric powertrain. So far the firm has modernised various Aston Martin, Rolls-Royce and Bentley. David Beckham, who has a stake in the company, gifted his son Brooklyn a Lunaz-converted Jaguar XK140 for his wedding present last year. Comedian Jack Whitehall is also an investor.

David Lorenz, founder of Lunaz, said: “We welcome all policy that supports and stimulates growth in this vital and vibrant sector; we’re encouraged to see political leaders engaging with and recognising the enormous power of the circular economy practices employed by Lunaz to accelerate our critical path to net zero.”