Call: Optimisation of heavy duty vehicles for alternative fuels use

• Health, demographic change and wellbeing;
• Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine and maritime and inland water research, and the Bioeconomy;
• Secure, clean and efficient energy;
• Smart, green and integrated transport;
• Climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials;
• Europe in a changing world - inclusive, innovative and reflective societies;
• Secure societies - protecting freedom and security of Europe and its citizens.

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 specific challenge is to optimise and develop new powertrains (engine / exhaust after treatment systems) for heavy duty vehicles running on alternative fuels with the perspective of achieving higher efficiency and lower pollutant emissions compliant with Euro VI standards and meeting CO2 emission targets under discussion.

Proposals should focus on one or several of the following fuel options:

• Bio-methane mixed into liquefied natural gas (LNG)
• Biofuels ED95 and B30

Proposals should focus on the following specific objectives:

• Optimise and develop new powertrains (engine/after treatment systems) for the use of alternative fuels in HDV.
• Evaluate energy efficiency, costs, performance, environmental benefits and durability of HDV running on alternative fuels.

Proposals should include prototype validation of the new vehicles. A small demonstration should be carried out to assess the energy efficiency and the environmental and economic benefits of the trucks running in real conditions. They should provide recommendations for the development of relevant standards, in particular for fuel quality requirements and for the type-approval of the heavy duty vehicles.

When biofuels are considered by proposals, they should be included in the assessment of sustainability and demonstrate compliance with sustainability criteria as specified in the article 17 of the Directive 2009/28/EC on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources.

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 5 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.