Call: Aerodynamic and flexible trucks

1. Excellent Science
2. Industrial Leadership
3. Societal Challenges

Within this programme Horizon 2020 will provide funding for a resource efficient transport that respects the environment, aims at a better mobility, less congestion, more safety and security, supports a global leadership for the European transport industry and targets a socio-economic and behavioural research and forward looking activities for policy making.

The European Green Vehicles Initiative (EGVI) represents an essential component of road transport research and innovation. It includes research, technological developments, innovation and demonstration in support of improvements in energy efficiency of road transport vehicles and the use of new types of non-conventional energies in road transport such as electricity, compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG), renewable and tailored fuels.

This call has been defined taking into account the other calls and initiatives where the Transport Challenge is concerned, particularly the calls on ‘Mobility for Growth’ and ‘Smart Cities and Communities’, and the ‘Fuel Cells and Hydrogen 2’ joint undertakings. Multisectorial research involving other research and innovation areas such as Energy and Environment coupled with research on new materials, advanced production and Information and Communication Technologies will be encouraged, particularly in fields such as advanced energy storage systems and interfaces between vehicles and energy recharging infrastructures.

Specific topics of the call:

• Optimisation of heavy duty vehicles for alternative fuels use
• System and cost optimised hybridisation and range externders for road vehicles
• Next generation electric drivetrains focusing on high efficiency and cost
• Electric vehicle interior redesign specific for optimised efficiency
• Physical integration of hybrid and electric vehicle batteries at pack level aiming at increased energy density and efficiency
• Multi-level modelling and testing of xEVs and their components
• Super-fast and smart charging of electric vehicles
• Electrified heavy duty vehicles
• Aerodynamic and flexible trucks
• Affordable weight reduction of high-volume vehicles and components taking into account the entire life-cycle
• Demonstrating (pilots) for integration in urban transport system of electrified L-category vehicles
• Stimulating European research and development for the implementation and development of future road transport technologies

The energy efficiency of logistics and co-modal transportation needs to be significantly improved, since road haulage represents the dominant share of CO² emissions and energy consumption. Adaptable and configurable complete truck concepts and architectures can significantly contribute to improving road haulage energy efficiency, by improving aerodynamics and energy efficiency, while contributing to meet future logistics and co-modality needs for different segments and markets. Industry, authorities and policy-makers should collaborate on standardisation issues in order to allow the use of configurable trucks in road haulage.

At least three legal entities. Each of the three must be established in a different EU Member State or Horizon 2020 associated country. All three legal entities must be independent of each other. 

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of between 7 and 10 million  € each would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

EU funding rate: 70% (except for non-profit legal entities, where a rate of 100% applies).

Electronic submission here.

Link to the National Contact Point Finder.