APC 17: developing the UK’s low carbon automotive capability

The Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) invests up to £30 million, 3 times a year, in collaborative research and development (R&D) projects. These are pre-production match-funded projects. In this round APC is investing £27 million.

Your project must concentrate on the automotive market as its primary application.

APC 17 is looking for:

• projects that support the UK’s long-term capabilities through securing long-term R&D investment
• projects that can be achieved through its associated supply chain in the design, build and manufacture of zero tailpipe emission vehicles

Your project will preferably deliver both of these, to ensure the UK meets the future demand of vehicle-makers.

We welcome projects which demonstrate a significant change in the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions and improvements in air quality compared to best in class. This can include technologies such as motors, batteries, power electronics, hybridisation and alternative propulsion systems.

Your project

Your project must:

• have total eligible costs between £5 million and £40 million
• be a minimum of 50% match funded
• start on 1st April 2021
• last between 18 and 42 months

Lead organisation

To lead a project your organisation must:

• be UK registered business of any size
• have an active registered business base in the UK
• be a grant recipient
• include in your consortium a vehicle manufacturer or tier 1 supplier who supplies parts directly to an original equipment manufacturer (OEM)
• collaborate with others
• carry out its project work in the UK
• intend to exploit the results from or in the UK

Academic institutions and research organisations cannot lead projects.

The aim of this competition is to seek proposals for collaborative R&D projects. These must demonstrate the development of on-vehicle technologies, (including material, product and manufacturing processes) for on or off-road vehicles.

Your project must either:

• accelerate the development of technologies capable of low and zero tailpipe emissions, considering their associated ‘cradle to grave’ supply chains, up to and including end of life
• or demonstrate a significant reduction in carbon dioxide emissions leading to air quality improvements

APC is particularly looking for projects that support the UK’s long-term supply chain, associated capabilities and growth aspirations. This includes improving productivity and competitiveness in the design, build and manufacture of vehicles that are capable of low and zero tailpipe emissions.

Technologies in scope are:

• motors
• batteries
• power electronics
• hybridisation
• alternative propulsion systems

Your project must support the growth of these technologies, creating more jobs and capability throughout the UK supply chain.

APC will also consider projects that focus on the significant reduction of carbon dioxide or improvement of air quality from advanced internal combustion engines, especially those using clean fuels. Projects focusing solely on clean fuels are out of scope.

Your project must focus on or relate to one or more of the following strategic technology themes. You must determine which technology or technologies best represent your project:

• alternative propulsion systems
• electric machines and power electronics
• energy storage and energy management
• lightweight vehicle and powertrain structures
• thermal propulsion systems that deliver substantial improvements
• significant reduction in vehicle development timescales
• using digitisation for development of low carbon vehicles

An applicant briefing will be held on 25th August, 10am-11:30am: click here to register.