IDP 15: the road to zero emission vehicles, feasibility studies

Key Features

UK businesses can apply for a share of up to £2 million to research and develop technologies that accelerate the transition to zero emission vehicles.

Programme:     Innovate UK

Award:     Share of up to £2 million

Opens: 17th Sep 2018

Closes: 6th Dec 2018

! This scheme is now closed

Overview

The Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) will work with Innovate UK, as part of UK Research and Innovation, to invest up to £2 million in innovation projects.

Scope

Across IDP 15, Innovate UK are looking to fund projects that address one or more of the following technical areas:

  • power electronics, machines and drives
  • energy storage and energy management
  • lightweight vehicle and powertrain structures
  • highly disruptive zero emission technologies

They would like to see projects which include or focus on advances in power electronics, machines and drives for automotive applications.

Technologies in scope include:

  • the electrification of conventional powertrains in passenger cars, such as waste heat recovery systems and hybridisation
  • e-powertrains solutions where the project does not include costs related to any conventional engine R&D work
  • hydrogen projects where the innovation focuses on fuel cell development or the use of hydrogen for the production of electricity

Hybridisation technologies must focus solely on increasing the capability of the electrified or non-internal combustion engine element of the powertrain.

Other projects in scope include:

  • zero emission technologies that are focused on exploitation routes on conventional powered vehicles, such as light weighting projects
  • auxiliary power systems, such as for refrigeration or trailer equipment.
  • projects that focus on electrifying trailer units
  • projects that deliver significant emissions benefits via aerodynamic improvements for HGVs

Eligibility

To be eligible for funding you must:

  • be a UK based business, academic organisation, charity, public sector organisation or research and technology organisation (RTO)
  • carry out your project work in the UK
  • intend to exploit the results from or in the UK
  • work in collaboration with other businesses, research organisations or third-sector organisations

To lead a project you must be a UK based business, of any size.

Funding Costs

Your total project costs should be up to £250,000. Projects must start by June 2019 and end by June 2020. They can last up to 12 months.

You could get funding for your eligible project costs of:

  • up to 70% if you are a micro or small business
  • up to 60% if you are a medium-sized business
  • up to 50% if you are a large business

The research organisations in your consortium can share up to 30% of the total eligible project costs. If your consortium contains more than one research organisation, this maximum will be shared between them.

Exclusions

In this competition Innovate UK are not funding projects covering:

  • dedicated internal combustion engine projects
  • business as usual projects which maintain the status quo or do not demonstrate innovation
  • zero carbon fuels
  • vehicle charging