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 £25million.

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 zero carbon tailpipe 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 £5million and £40million
• be a minimum of 50% match funded
• start by 1 September 2022
• last between 18 and 42 months
• carry out its project work in the UK
• intend to exploit the results from or in the UK

Your project can contain a maximum of 6 project partners.

To lead a project your organisation must:

• be a UK registered business of any size
• have an active registered business base in the UK
• be a grant recipient
• 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

Academic institutions and research organisations cannot lead projects.

To collaborate with the lead, your organisation must be one of the following UK registered:

• business of any size
• academic institution
• charity
• not-for-profit
• public sector organisation
• research and technology organisation (RTO)

Non-UK registered businesses and research organisations are only eligible to apply for funding if:

• they set up an active UK registered business where the funded project work will be carried out
• provide evidence of an intention to expand their R&D activity in the UK during and after the project

The lead and at least one other organisation must claim funding by entering their costs during the application. Your project can include partners that do not receive any of this competition’s funding, for example non-UK businesses. Their costs will count towards the total project costs.

Subcontractors are allowed in this competition.