Road Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) optimised user-centric solutions for energy efficiency design and consistent range throughout weather conditions (2ZERO Partnership)

Opened

Programme Category

EU Competitive Programmes

Programme Name

Horizon Europe (2021-2027)

Programme Description

Horizon Europe is the European Union (EU) funding programme for the period 2021 – 2027, which targets the sectors of research and innovation. The programme’s budget is around € 95.5 billion, of which € 5.4 billion is from NextGenerationEU to stimulate recovery and strengthen the EU’s resilience in the future, and € 4.5 billion is additional aid.

Programme Details

Identifier Code

HORIZON-CL5-2025-04-D5-05

Call

Road Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) optimised user-centric solutions for energy efficiency design and consistent range throughout weather conditions (2ZERO Partnership)

Summary

Maintaining the advantages of appropriately sized batteries in terms of affordability of BEVs, material and energy savings, whilereducing the impact of occasional extreme weather conditions on the autonomy of both LDVs and LCVs, especially during long journeys, requires innovative systemic approaches to thermal management.

Finding solutions that adequately balance user needs, technical effort and vehicle affordability requires user research (e.g. user acceptance, preferences and vehicle usage scenarios) to define relevant targets and criteria for innovation in thermal management systems and technologies.

Detailed Call Description

Automotive standards should be met, keeping in mind that extreme weather conditions are a critical challenge and should be tackled not only with innovative or improved components, but especially with novel, user-centric and intelligent solutions based on an overall vehicle system approach (can include interface to infrastructure) to minimise energy and simplify thermal systems and which do not lead to increased system or vehicle cost.

Proposals are expected to address all the following aspects:

  • Analyse user requirements to identify personalised thresholds of thermal comfort and their different expectations and behaviours, sensitivities, tolerances, and acceptance with regard to various use cases;
  • Establish a holistic approach to optimising energy efficiency and relevant thermal functions (system-oriented and simplified solutions based on usage scenarios and inclusion of external data to use energy optimally and avoid oversizing that could also result from cascading engineering safety margins);
  • Explore and exploit the potential that connection to the grid offers without overloading the grid especially during extreme weather conditions;
  • Develop innovative, safe and intelligent solutions that reduce the loss of range within acceptable limits also addressing the balance of costs, usage models and system complexity when considering extreme weather conditions while meeting automotive standards under normal use;
  • Develop innovative vehicle energy management solutions for seldom extreme weather conditions also using predictive energy management, e.g., AI-based functions and intelligent management of auxiliaries, in order to fulfil user preferences and tolerances;
  • All developed solutions and concepts must be integrated in a prototype or mock-up vehicle and demonstrated on system level in a relevant environment.

Call Total Budget

€12.00 million

Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan

70%

Expected EU contribution per project: €6.00 million

Thematic Categories

  • Environment and Climate Change
  • Information and Communication Technologies
  • Other Thematic Category
  • Research, Technological Development and Innovation
  • Transport

Eligibility for Participation

  • Businesses
  • Central Government
  • Educational Institutions
  • Legal Entities
  • Natual person / Citizen / Individual
  • Other Beneficiaries
  • Private Bodies
  • Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
  • Semi-governmental organisations
  • Services Providers
  • Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)

Eligibility For Participation Notes

The following exceptions apply: subject to restrictions for the protection of European communication networks.

A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects.

Call Opening Date

06/05/2025

Call Closing Date

04/09/2025

National Contact Point(s)

Research and Innovation Foundation
Address:
 29a Andrea Michalakopoulou, 1075 Nicosia, P.B. 23422, 1683 Nicosia
Telephone: +357 22205000
Fax: +357 22205001
Email: support@research.org.cy
Website: https://www.research.org.cy/en/

Persons to Contact:

Mr. Christakis Theocharous
Scientific Officer A’
Email: ctheocharous@research.org.cy

Mr. George Christou
Scientific Officer
Email: gchristou@research.org.cy