Notice

Competition brief: low emission vehicle systems IDP13

Updated 19 October 2016

This notice was withdrawn on 21 September 2017

This competition is no longer open. Search current funding opportunities.

1. Dates and deadlines

Competition opens	5 September 2016
Briefing event for applicants	20 September 2016
Registration deadline	Noon on 19 October 2016
Application deadline	Noon on 26 October 2016
Streams 2 and 3: full stage opens	28 November 2016
Streams 2 and 3: full stage application deadline	11 January 2017

2. The competition scope

The aim of this competition is to support industry-led research and development (R&D) projects. These should be for vehicle technology that reduces or removes real-world emissions at tailpipe.

Projects must take an integrated systems approach to vehicle emissions reduction. The end result should be lower emissions at vehicle level in the real world. In particular, we are looking for projects developing low-cost, highly integrated systems enabling zero emission journeys.

Projects must focus on on-highway vehicles (L, M or N category vehicles) as their primary exploitation route. Secondary exploitation through off-highway vehicles (non-road mobile machinery) is in scope.

Projects should produce a proof of concept by around 2020. We expect projects that have shown technical and commercial feasibility to then target programmes for vehicle sales in around 2025.

Proposals must focus on one or more of the following strategic technologies from the Automotive Council UK:

• electric machines and power electronics
• energy storage and energy management
• lightweight vehicle and powertrain structures
• thermal propulsion
• highly disruptive technologies which would significantly speed up the reduction of CO2e and other emissions

We prefer projects that focus on more than one strategic technology. Proposals that focus on just one area must clearly explain how they achieve the systems approach.

The priorities for this competition are:

• systems for zero tailpipe emissions running, appropriate to vehicle class. For example, enabling M1 vehicles to complete a 50-mile zero emission journey
• systems achieving significant reduction of tailpipe CO2e or other emissions
• systems achieving significant reduction of CO2e emissions on a Well-to-Wheel basis (ie including fuel/energy storage, production, processing and delivery)

Depending on the response to this competition, we may apply a portfolio approach.

This competition is in 3 streams.

2.1 Stream 1

We are looking to fund collaborative technical feasibility studies. The aim is to encourage disruptive technology. We are seeking truly innovative and inventive thinking applied to real-world problems. At the end of the feasibility study, we expect projects to be ready to continue in future collaborative R&D competitions. Or, they should be able to raise private sector investment to take the project outcome to market.

2.2 Stream 2

We are looking to fund collaborative R&D projects focused on industrial research. There may be some elements of experimental development.

Projects must:

• develop on-vehicle technology, speeding up its introduction to the market
• focus on highly integrated vehicle systems and cost reduction
• justify how the technology achieves overall vehicle efficiency. Individual part improvement is not in scope, unless there is also consideration of overall system impact
• validate the technology in a relevant environment. This might be through a mule or adapted current production vehicle
• define appropriate representative real-world operating conditions, and a suitable comparator technology or vehicle, against which the project will measure the CO2e baseline and improvements
• provide evidence that the durability, integrity and safety of any technology proposed is in line with industry expectations
• show that you can realistically produce the technology at a cost/price the market is willing to pay when commercialising
• show how the future supply chain will be developed. One way of achieving this is to include appropriate Tier 1 and/or Tier 2 suppliers in your consortium
• show a clear route to market including appropriate business models to exploit the technology commercially

A requirement of funding is that the consortium includes an appropriate end customer. This is to show that the technology meets clear customer specifications. There is a particular interest in projects that include vehicle manufacturers, Tier 1 or Tier 2 suppliers, but this is not a fixed requirement.

We are looking for innovative proposals focused on any area of energy efficiency. This may include propulsion, or other aspects of on-vehicle energy consumption such as heating and cooling etc.

Deliverables

At the end of the project, you must have:

• a physical demonstrator
• a report showing the emissions reduction the technology can achieve on implementation
• details of the cost of the system showing the commercial payback period
• performance results demonstrating the viability of the technology, to give confidence for consideration on new vehicle programmes

2.3 Stream 3

We are looking to fund collaborative R&D projects that can produce results within 1 year. Projects should be focused on industrial research. There may be some elements of experimental development.

Project requirements and deliverables are the same as Stream 2. But we expect the proposal to reflect the smaller budget and shorter timeframe.

We are particularly looking for projects that focus on virtual design, validation and process re-engineering. This is to speed up and reduce the cost of market introduction for ultra low emission vehicle programmes.

3. Projects that we won’t fund

In this competition we are not funding projects focused on vehicles that are not on-highway or off-highway. For example, we will not fund projects looking at rail or marine vehicles.

Funding is for on-vehicle technology development, and not for the enabling infrastructure. Projects where more than 30% of costs are on infrastructure will not be in scope.

4. Find out if you are eligible to apply

To be part of a project, you must:

• carry out your project in the UK
• work in collaboration with others (for example; businesses, research organisations and third sector)

5. Funding and project details

The Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV), the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and Innovate UK have allocated up to £24 million to fund innovation projects in this competition. This is divided up as:

• up to £4 million to fund projects in Stream 1
• up to £15 million to fund projects in Stream 2
• up to £5 million to fund projects in Stream 3

All projects in all streams must be collaborative and a business must lead the project.

5.1 Project types

For Stream 1 of this competition, projects should be technical feasibility studies. For Streams 2 and 3, projects should focus on industrial research, although there may be some elements of experimental development.

For technical feasibility studies and industrial research, you could get:

• up to 70% of your eligible project costs if you are a small business
• up to 60% if you are a medium-sized business
• up to 50% if you are a large business

For experimental development projects which are nearer to market, you could get:

• up to 45% of your eligible project costs if you are a small business
• up to 35% if you are a medium-sized business
• up to 25% if you are a large business

Find out if your business fits the EU definition of an SME.

5.2 Stream 1 (collaborative technical feasibility studies)

We expect projects to last up to 1 year. We expect them to range in size from total project costs of £200,000 to £500,000. We may consider costs outside these ranges. Projects must complete by 30 March 2018 at the latest.

5.3 Stream 2 (collaborative R&D projects)

We expect projects to last 18 months to 3 years. We expect them to range in size from total project costs of £2 million to £4 million. We may consider costs outside these ranges.

5.4 Stream 3 (accelerated collaborative R&D projects)

We expect projects to last up to 1 year. We expect them to range in size from total project costs of £500,000 to £1.5 million. We may consider costs outside these ranges. Projects must complete by 30 March 2018 at the latest.

6. How to apply

To apply:

• register online
• read the Guidance for Applicants for this competition: stream 1 stream 2 & 3
• watch the briefing event recording at The National Motorcycle Museum in Solihull on 20 September 2016
• complete and upload your online application on our secure server

We will not accept late submissions. Your application is confidential.

An independent panel of experts will assess the applications and select the highest-quality projects.

For Streams 2 and 3, the application process will be in 2 stages. We will invite successful projects from the first stage to apply for the second stage. See the Guidance for Applicants for full details.

Read the general Guidance for Applicants carefully before you apply. It will help your chances of submitting a quality application.

7. Background and further information

The automotive sector has made great progress in reducing vehicle emissions and beginning the transition to zero emissions technology. But significant challenges remain, particularly with new automotive business models developed in response to technological developments and changes in society. This provides an opportunity to build on UK strengths by producing technical solutions with supporting business models. These can supply the rapidly evolving global automotive market.

This is the 13th competition in the Integrated Delivery Programme (IDP) series. The IDP is part of the network of support for the automotive industry available in the UK. The Research Councils provide support for fundamental science. The IDP provides support for proof of concept. The Advanced Propulsion Centre provides support pre-commercialisation.

OLEV is a team working across government to support the early market for ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEV). OLEV is providing over £900 million to position the UK at the global forefront of ULEV development, manufacture and use. This will contribute to economic growth and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution on our roads.

If you want help to find a project partner, contact the Knowledge Transfer Network.

If you need more information, contact the competition helpline on 0300 321 4357 or email us at support@innovateuk.gov.uk