Call for Projects: Industrialising Net-Zero Automotive Technology (UK)

The aim of this competition is to support collaborative R&D projects that design, develop and manufacture technology. These projects will support the UK’s transition to zero-emission vehicles and a pathway to a net zero automotive industry.

Focus Areas

• Your project must advance technologies in one or more of the following areas:
  • energy storage batteries, their components, management and integration systems
  • fuel cells, fuel cell systems and associated balance of plant
  • electric machines and associated driveline
  • power electronics
  • internal combustion engine (ICE) for on-road applications, they will only fund project proposals which aim to achieve zero harmful tailpipe emissions utilising non-fossil fuels
  • internal combustion engine (ICE) for off-road applications, they will fund project proposals that support a transition to zero emissions, utilising non-fossil fuels
  • lightweighting materials, methods and processes
  • hydrogen storage and management systems
• Your project can:
  • be focussed on design for circular economy, including the disassembly, recovery, and reuse of materials used in the project technologies
  • be focussed on physical, digital, or a combination toward the development of zero emission vehicle innovation, manufacture of vehicle systems and sub-systems, data analytics, redesign, test and validation and verification

Funding Information

• Your project’s total eligible grant funding request must be between £2.5 million and £20 million. Your project must be a minimum of 50% match funded. A maximum of six partners is recommended.

Ineligible Projects 

• They are not funding projects that are:
  • only focussed on the development of clean fuels
  • not aligned with the UK net zero research innovations framework
  • requesting more than 50% grant for total project costs
  • developing either e-Scooters or e-Bikes
• They cannot fund projects that are:
  • dependent on export performance, for example, giving a subsidy to a baker on the condition that it exports a certain quantity of bread to another country
  • dependent on domestic inputs usage, for example, giving a subsidy to a baker on the condition that it uses 50% UK flour in their product.

Who can apply?

• Your project must:
  • have a total eligible grant funding request of between £2.5million and £20 million
  • be a minimum of 50% match funding, for example, if you are asking for £2.5 million in grant your total eligible project costs need to be a minimum of £5 million
  • have a minimum of 70% of your project’s total eligible costs being incurred by commercial organisations
  • last between 18 and 36 months
  • carry out all of its project work in the UK
  • intend to exploit the results from or in the UK
  • start by 1 August 2025
  • end on 31 July 2028
• Lead organisation
  • To lead a project your organisation must:
    • be a UK registered business of any size
    • collaborate with other UK registered organisations
    • involve at least one grant claiming micro, small or medium sized enterprise (SME)
    • be a grant claiming recipient
    • include in your consortium a vehicle manufacturer or Tier 1 supplier who supplies parts directly to an original equipment manufacturer (OEM)
• Project team
  • To collaborate with the lead, your organisation must be one of the following UK registered:
    • business of any size
    • academic institution
    • charity
    • not for profit
    • public sector organisation
    • research and technology organisation (RTO)
  • Non-UK registered businesses and research organisations are only eligible to apply for funding if:
    • an active UK registered business is set up through which the funded project work will be carried out
    • evidence is provided of an intention to expand the R&D activity in the UK during and after the project
• Non-funded partners
  • Your project can include non-UK partners, including partners based in the EU, who bring their own funding. Non-UK partners are permitted to carry out project work from within their home countries and exploit results overseas. Their costs will count towards the total eligible project costs.
• Subcontractors
  • Subcontractors are allowed in this competition.
  • Subcontractors can be from anywhere in the UK and you must select them through your usual procurement process.
  • You can use subcontractors from overseas but must make the case in your application as to why you cannot use suppliers from the UK.

For more information, visit Gov.UK.