Deadline Date: December 17, 2025
The Department for Business and Trade, in partnership with Innovate UK and the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK, has launched the DRIVE35 Scale Up: Feasibility Studies competition to accelerate the UK’s transition towards zero emission vehicle technologies.
The focus areas of this initiative include supporting detailed feasibility studies into the deployment of UK-based manufacturing facilities for zero emission vehicle technologies such as pilot scale manufacturing, demonstration scale manufacturing, and industrial scale manufacturing. It aims to enable an investment ready business case, advancing readiness for manufacturing at targeted production maturity and volume.
The programme further seeks to support growth, transition and resilience of the UK’s automotive supply chain by increasing capability whilst improving productivity, efficiency and competitiveness. It contributes to the UK’s strategic aims and priorities, for example, the Industrial Strategy, and Automotive Council’s Roadmaps and Strategic Technology areas. The initiative also supports feasibility studies that develop a detailed plan, business case and investment case for creation or conversion of manufacturing facilities for eligible on-vehicle technologies, including zero emission vehicle assembly and the associated supply chain.
The DRIVE35 programme, led by the Department for Business and Trade, is part of a long-term commitment to transform the UK automotive industry by supporting research, development, and commercial scale-up of innovative zero emission vehicle technologies. Innovate UK, a part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), will collaborate with the Department for Business and Trade and the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK to invest up to £5 million in this competition, depending on the number of high-quality applications received.
Projects applying under this competition must have a total eligible grant funding request between £150,000 and £750,000, lasting up to nine months, starting by 1 May 2026 and ending by 31 January 2027. The funding limit will be set at a maximum of 50% for large organisations and 60% for SMEs. Any funded organisation must carry out its project work in the UK and ensure that the results are exploited from or in the UK.
The DRIVE35 Scale Up: Feasibility Studies competition is part of the government’s Industrial Strategy to strengthen the UK’s position in the global zero emission vehicle market, fostering innovation, sustainability, and competitiveness across the automotive supply chain.
For more information, visit Innovate UK.
