Funding is restricted to on-board vehicle technologies applicable to powered, wheeled or tracked road going, zero emission last mile/urban delivery vehicles, urban commuter vehicles, niche vehicles which provide improved accessibility, agricultural or construction vehicles. A niche vehicle manufacturer is defined as an independent UK based vehicle manufacturer producing less than 10,000 vehicles per year.

Projects must be industry led, aiming to support the growth, productivity and competitiveness of the UK niche vehicle sector. The programme therefore focuses on technologies applicable production and supply chain development of low-volume UK low-cost zero emission last mile/urban delivery vehicles (including passenger carrying derivatives) and road zero emission legal niche vehicles which provide improved accessibility.

Vehicle / Sector Types

The following vehicle types are in scope – but must applicants must clearly demonstrate how they relate to the competition focus of supporting the development of road legal low-cost last mile/urban delivery (including passenger carrying derivatives), urban commuter vehicles, and/or road legal niche vehicles which provide improved accessibility, agricultural or construction vehicles:

Powered, wheeled or tracked vehicles used on-road or off highway, with niche vehicle applicability:

• E-bikes, e-trikes & e-cargo bikes (including EPAC / L1e-A vehicles)
• Motorbikes & quadricycles (PLV / L1e-B to L7e vehicles)
• Agricultural & construction vehicles
• Cars
• Light commercial vehicles
• Taxis & Buses
• Ambulances
• Driverless vehicles and PODs

The following vehicle types are out of scope:

• E-scooters
• Non-EPAC bicycles
• Dedicated motorsport and race vehicles
• Marine, rail, aerospace and drones

Zero emission vehicles are those which do not produce harmful exhaust air emissions while driving. These include greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, and pollutants, such as nitrogen dioxide.

Eligibility

The competition is open to UK registered micro and SME companies active in the niche vehicle technology sector, including (but is not limited to) niche vehicle manufacturers, system suppliers, design, engineering or technology organisations. Large companies, Universities, Academic institutions and Research Technology Organisations (RTO’s) are NOT eligible to apply into this competition.

Eligible projects under this competition are NOT required to be collaborative – this is a single applicant competition, and applicants are only allowed to make up to one application per organisation.

Please make sure that your project meets the following eligibility criteria:

• Projects need to have a focus on accelerated development of innovative vehicle concepts and technologies applicable to powered road going, zero emission last mile/urban delivery vehicles, urban commuter vehicles, niche vehicles which provide improved accessibility, agricultural or construction vehicles
• The applicant must be a UK registered SME or micro business (limited company)
• The applicant must submit the bid and manage the project
• Projects must be business-led, and within the technology scope and eligibility criteria for the competition
• All work within the project must be undertaken in the UK
• A maximum of 1 application per company / organisation is permissible – this includes businesses where at least one shareholder holds a 25% or greater interest in more than one company
• Projects must be undertaken solely by the applicant (and any named sub-contractors)
• Projects must be deliverable within a 3-month period & completed by 31st March 2025

Successful applicants must also be able to pass a financial due diligence check before funding can be awarded. These checks will include ensuring that you have sufficient funding in place to cover the costs of the project prior to the receipt of any grant claim amounts.

For further information on this funding competition, please see here

Funding Costs

Feasibility Studies Competition provides grant funding of up £42,000