Niche Vehicle Network: Feasibility Studies

Key Features

The Niche Vehicle Feasibility Competition is providing SMEs and micro companies active in the low-carbon niche vehicle technology sector with grant funding of up £25,000 to undertake desktop research activities aimed at catalysing innovative vehicle technologies applicable to road-going and off-highway vehicles.

Programme:     Niche Vehicle Network

Award:     Up to £25,000 per project

Opens: 4th Sep 2019

Closes: 11th Oct 2019

! This scheme is now closed

Scope

Sponsored by Innovate UK and the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV), the Niche Vehicle Feasibility Competition is providing SMEs and micro companies active in the low-carbon niche vehicle technology sector with grant funding of up £25,000 to undertake desktop research activities aimed at catalysing innovative vehicle technologies applicable to road-going and off-highway vehicles, within the following technology categories:

  • Lightweight vehicle and powertrain structures
  • Electric machines and power electronics
  • Energy storage and energy management
  • Disruptive low emission vehicle technologies
  • Aerodynamics development
  • Eligible projects under this competition are not required to be collaborative.
  • All projects must aim to support the growth and competitiveness of the UK low carbon niche vehicle technology sector.
  • Claims are paid in arrears following successful completion of the project

Winners of this competition will be announced on 8th November 2019.

Projects can begin from 1st January 2020.

For any questions regarding the criteria of NVN’s Feasibility Competition, please contact nvn@cenex.co.uk

Eligibility

Please make sure that your project meets this competitions eligibility criteria:

  • Only 1 application per company is permissible
  • The applicant must be a UK SME or micro business (limited company)
  • The applicant must submit the bid and manage the project
  • Projects must be business-led, and address the requirements of the competition
  • Projects must be undertaken solely by the applicant (and any named subcontractors)
  • All work within the project must be undertaken in the UK
  • Projects need to have a focus on the UK niche vehicle sector

Funding Costs

Your application for this competition will be measured against this criteria:

  • All eligible expenditure must be defrayed within Fiscal Year 2019-2020
  • Eligible costs include labour, overheads (capped at 50% of labour costs), materials, subcontracting (capped at 40% of overall project costs), consumables
  •  Maximum total project grant: £25,000
  • Maximum project grant intervention rate: 70%
  • Projects must be deliverable within a 3 month duration
  • Projects must be completed by 31st March 2020