APC22: Industrialising net-zero automotive technology

The Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) provides funding, support and insight for the development of low carbon and net zero automotive technologies. It aims to support the UK’s transition towards net zero product manufacturing and supply chain in the UK automotive sector. In this competition round APC is investing up to £40 million.

We are looking for collaborative, pre-production research and development (R&D) projects that:

• support the UK’s long term capabilities by securing long-term R&D investment
• achieve through the associated supply chain, the design, build and manufacture of net zero carbon emission vehicles

Projects must look to fulfil both these criteria to ensure the UK meets the future demand of vehicle makers.

Your project must:

• have total costs between £5 million and £40 million
• be a minimum of 50% match-funded
• start by 1 March 2023
• last between 18 and 42 months
• carry out its project work in the UK
• intend to exploit the results from or in the UK

To lead a project your organisation must:

• be a UK registered business of any size, with an active registered business base in the UK
• involve at least one grant claiming micro small or medium enterprise (SME) if the lead is not one
• include in your consortium a vehicle manufacturer or Tier 1 supplier who supplies parts directly to an original equipment manufacturer (OEM)
• collaborate with others

Scope

The aim of this competition is to seek proposals for collaborative R&D projects that design, develop and manufacture technology that will work towards delivering net-zero carbon emission on-vehicle technologies for on-road or off-road vehicles.

Your project must:

• support growth and security of the UK’s manufacturing supply chain, increasing capability, whilst improving productivity, efficiency and competitiveness
• deliver vehicle technologies or associated manufacturing processes which support the transition to net zero
• contribute to the UK’s strategic aims in this area, such as the Automotive Council’s Roadmaps

Your project must advance technologies in one or more of the following areas:

• batteries, their components, management and integration systems
• fuel cell and associated balance of plant
• electric machines
• power electronics
• fossil fuel free (at the point of use) internal combustion
• hydrogen storage and management systems
• manufacturing processes associated with industrialising relevant net-zero technologies
• direct recycling methods resulting in complete recovery of critical materials
• digitalisation leveraged during the development, testing, production or in-service phases

You must consider which technology or technologies best represent your project and rank them in order of their significance and impact to your project. The one ranked first must be the lead technology.

• electric machines and power electronics
• energy storage and energy management
• lightweight vehicle and powertrain structures
• fuel cell and associated balance of plant
• thermal propulsion systems
• significant reduction in vehicle development timescales
• digitalisation for development of low carbon vehicle innovation

Your lead technology must be at least 50%. You can also rank up to an additional two supporting technologies that can have a maximum of 25% each.

A briefing event will be held on 21st July: details available soon at the link below.