Innovate UK Zero Emission Propulsion CR&D

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Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, will work with the industry to invest up to £10 million in innovation projects.

As part of the Future Economy Net Zero programme, this competition will focus on net zero propulsion. This programme will support the government’s drive for zero-emission transport and systems as part of the net zero commitment for 2050.

Your proposal must align to the scope of this competition.In applying to this competition, you are entering into a competitive process. This competition closes at 11am UK time on the deadline stated.

The aim of this competition, as part of the Innovate UK-funded net zero mobility programme, is to support future propulsion technologies for the transport sector.

We will fund collaborative research projects covering propulsion technologies only. Your project must demonstrate significant improvements in net zero propulsion technologies which may apply across multiple transport modes.

The programme aims to build on previous sector-specific mobility programmes by creating a cross-sector platform. You are encouraged to apply your knowledge and capability to adjacent transport sectors including automotive, aerospace, maritime and rail.

Your project must focus on one or more of the following transport sectors:

Maritime: Clean maritime technologies for all sizes and categories of maritime vessel are in scope. Solutions can be suitable for one target size of vessel or multiple. Leisure and commercial vessels are in scope.
Rail: Technologies can target all locomotive classes including those for freight and passenger carrying services and carriages.
Automotive: Technologies can cover both niche and mainstream on and off-road vehicles. This includes categories L (mopeds and motorcycles only), M (car and passenger carrying) and N (goods vehicles). Construction vehicles and special use vehicles such as emergency vehicles (for example, ambulances and fire engines), refuse collection vehicles, and recreational vehicles (for example, motorhomes) are also eligible. There are restrictions on the use of hydrogen combustion.
Aerospace: Technologies for drones or unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), advanced air mobility (AAM), electric or hybrid passenger aircraft.

Your project must address one or more of the following:

improved range and overall system performance capability
decreased total cost of ownership
adoption of and transition to zero emission end products
strengthening of the UK supply chain

Your proposal must demonstrate a need by including an end customer such as Tier 1 or original equipment manufacturer (OEM) within your consortium. They can be a funded partner or non-funded project adviser.

You will be required to demonstrate a strong route to market position as part of your application.

Your project must:

develop on-vehicle or on-vessel technologies that deliver net zero solutions, speeding up their introduction to the market.
develop technologies for new or retrofit applications, focused on highly integrated vehicle systems and cost reduction
justify how the technology achieves overall vehicle efficiency, as individual part or component improvement is not in scope, unless there is also consideration of overall system impact
deliver commercial, societal and environmental impact from your innovation
benefit the UK plc, for example by growing and securing the UK’s supply chain, increasing capability, whilst improving productivity, efficiency and competitiveness
evidence that your solutions are closely aligned with industry priorities to deliver business orientated opportunities
significantly improve overall vehicle or vessel efficiency and lifecycle CO2 emissions
if applicable, validate the technology in a relevant environment, for example in a testbed, through a development mule or an adapted current production vehicle or vessel for higher maturity technologies

Your proposal can describe how you will manage:

the circularity of the materials used and end of life pathways for example, reuse and recycling
compliance with regulation and how you will work with relevant regulatory bodies for novel technologies in the future
the production and commercialisation of your technology at a price the market is willing to pay

By the end of your project, you must deliver a technology advancement. This must advance your innovation to between experimental proof of concept and validation in a relevant environment.

Portfolio approach
We want to fund a variety of projects across different technologies, markets and technological maturities. We call this a portfolio approach.

Specific themes

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

electric propulsion technologies
fuel cells for electric propulsion
PEMD (power electronics machines and drives) systems for electrified powertrains for vehicles, locomotives or vessels
energy storage technologies (excluding batteries) and energy management software and controls
integration (system or component level) of electric propulsion technologies
range extenders that are zero emission and do not emit greenhouse gases, this can include on vehicle energy generation
on platform fuel storage, including hydrogen tanks
hydrogen internal combustion engine technologies, with restricted use on certain applications such as non-road applications
energy efficient electrification for traction and non-traction rail vehicles, and bi-mode locomotives (hydrogen and battery powered)
wind propulsion, including soft-sail, fixed-sail, rotor, kite and turbine technologies

Research categories

We will fund industrial research projects, as defined in the guidance on categories of research.

Projects we will not fund

We are not funding projects that:

do not address net zero mobility propulsion
are battery developments, for example, battery materials or cell development
are fuel or energy vector developments, such as sustainable fuels, synthetic fuels, bio-based fuels, manufacturing of fuels, including the production of hydrogen or ammonia
are for off-vehicle technologies such as vehicle or vessel charging solutions
are based around internal combustion engines (ICE) which emit greenhouse gases (GHG) or hybrid engines which include GHG emitting components
focus on micro mobility
have materials development or light weighting the platform (for example materials or light weighting on the platform which is not part of the propulsion system or vehicle structures)
are manufacturing technologies for new propulsion systems
are auxiliary systems, for example, refrigeration units
are propellor or propulsor design which does not include any other aspects of integration
are business as usual and do not demonstrate significant innovation
do not benefit the UK

For projects focused on hydrogen combustion, we cannot fund projects, where the transport application falls into the one or more of the following classifications:

light commercial vehicles under 7.5t, category N, O 1 to 3
buses of any weight or size classification, category M2 and M3
motor caravan, campervan, motorhome
lorries (trucks), 2 axles or more with a maximum gross weight (tonnes) of 7.5 or above
special purpose vehicle including emergency response vehicles

We cannot fund projects that are:

dependent on export performance, for example giving a subsidy to a baker on the condition that it exports a certain quantity of bread to another country
dependent on domestic inputs usage, for example giving a subsidy to a baker on the condition that it uses 50% UK flour in their product

17 October 2022 Competition opens

20 October 2022 Online briefing event: register to attend

7 December 2022 11:00am Competition closes

13 January 2023 invite to interview

13 February 2023 interviews start

17 February 2023 Interviews end

24 February 2023 Applicants notified