The British Design Fund has invested £140,000 into a wheel suspension startup as part of a £520,000 round.
Zak Mobility says its prototype combines an electric hub motor with suspension inside the wheel, making vehicles lighter and reducing road vibrations.
Reducing the overall weight of the vehicle can also increase battery range for EVs, the company added.
“This funding will allow us to push forward with the next step in our growth plans and in taking our prototype to market,” said Sam Pearce, founder of Zak Mobility.
“With the move towards a low carbon transport system, we believe there is a global opportunity for our technology to revolutionise the ways goods are transported.”
Kero Development Partners fronted the wheel suspension startup’s overall round.
Nottinghamshire-based Zak Mobility’s patented design will be adaptable to “various vehicle types”, such as the last-mile delivery market.
Damon Bonser, CEO of the British Design Fund, said: “Their technology offers a unique solution for the transport industry and while the concept itself may be simple, it has been made possible by a huge amount of technical development and engineering.”
Scottish flat-pack solar water heater startup SolarisKit this month also became a recipient of the fund.
BoxxDocks, which has created collapsable trackable boxes, was also recently given a funding package by the British Design Fund.