HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-05

Higher Voltage, Megawatt Charging System compatible, modular powertrain for Heavy Duty Vehicles (HDV) (2ZERO Partnership)

Status
forthcoming
Programme
Horizon Europe (HORIZON)
Action type
HORIZON Innovation Actions
Opens
15 Dec 2026
Deadline
14 Apr 2027
Fetched
15 Jul 2026, 07:18 UTC
Plain-language summary

Develop modular, high-voltage powertrains compatible with Megawatt Charging Systems for heavy-duty electric vehicles to improve efficiency and fast charging.

This call seeks projects to create advanced high-voltage powertrain systems for heavy-duty electric vehicles. The focus is on modular designs compatible with megawatt fast charging to reduce costs and improve energy efficiency. Projects should demonstrate benefits in real environments and aim for technology readiness level 7.

Likely relevant for

  • Heavy-duty vehicle manufacturers
  • Electric vehicle powertrain developers
  • Battery and charging system developers
  • Automotive component suppliers
  • Research institutions in electric mobility

Project signals

Focus on heavy-duty battery electric vehiclesDevelopment of >800V powertrain systemsIntegration with megawatt charging systemsModular and removable battery conceptsLife-cycle cost evaluation of high-voltage systems

What it funds

  • Development of modular high-voltage powertrain systems for heavy-duty electric vehicles
  • Increase voltage beyond 800V for efficiency and megawatt charging compatibility
  • Simplify system configurations to reduce costs and extend component life
  • Demonstrate fast charging benefits and auxiliary component integration
  • Explore modular/removable battery systems for second-life applications
  • Develop hardware and software interfaces for flexible applications
  • Demonstrate vehicle solutions in relevant operational environments
  • Evaluate life-cycle costs compared to lower voltage systems

Expected outcomes

  • Demonstrated modularity and integration potential of advanced high-voltage systems for heavy-duty commercial vehicles
  • Improved energy efficiency and operational capability of heavy-duty vehicles via high-voltage powertrains
  • Proven benefits of high-voltage systems for fast charging and auxiliary components

Who can apply / participate

  • Industry including SMEs
  • Research organisations
  • Universities
  • Public bodies
  • Consortium composition details must be checked in the call documentation
  • Participants must comply with Horizon Europe eligible countries rules
  • Legal entities established in China are not eligible under this destination
  • Participants must comply with Horizon Europe general and specific eligibility criteria
  • Specific consortium size and partner roles
  • Exact funding rates and co-financing requirements

Must check before shortlisting

  • Eligibility of participant countries and entities
  • Specific consortium composition rules
  • Budget and funding rate details
  • Compliance with 2ZERO Partnership reporting requirements

Money

Estimated total budget around €16 million for 2 expected grants under this Innovation Action call in 2027.

  • Total budget for 2027 — 16000000EUR
    For 2 expected grants, approx. €8 million each

Application notes

  • Single-stage submission model.
  • Proposal page limits and layout as per Horizon Europe General Annexes.
  • Eligible countries as per Horizon Europe Annex B.
  • Use of Copernicus and Galileo/EGNOS data if applicable.
  • Financial and operational capacity requirements per Annex C.
  • Evaluation criteria and process per Annex D and F.
  • Prepare proposal following call-specific and general Horizon Europe guidelines.
  • Submit proposal via the Funding & Tenders Portal before deadline.
  • Ensure compliance with eligibility and admissibility conditions.
  • Prepare for evaluation and possible grant agreement negotiations.
  • Legal entities established in China are not eligible under this destination.
  • Projects must report results to the 2ZERO Partnership.
  • Eligible costs are lump sums as per Horizon Europe rules.

Derived from official EU Funding portal source · updated 2 Jul 2026, 09:58 UTC. Use this as a shortlisting aid; the official call text remains authoritative.

Related calls

These funding calls are closely related and may be worth considering as part of the same funding landscape.

Official source text

Fine print from the EU source record. Expand when you need the original wording.

Topic description

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Demonstrated integration potential and modularity of next level advanced high-voltage systems to benefit cost of Commercial Vehicles (CV) in particular for the Heavy-Duty Vehicles (HDV) segment. Improved energy efficiency and higher utilization potential of HDV (ensuring full operational capability for the intended usage models) via high-voltage powertrain configurations. Demonstrated benefits of high-voltage systems also for fast charging and auxiliary components. Scope: Major challenges still faced by Heavy Duty Battery Electric Vehicles (HD-BEV) are cost and fast charging. As electric vehicles become more attractive through Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), significantly higher acquisition costs remain, partly caused by the wide spectrum of usage scenarios and a relatively low number of vehicles, which makes development costs a significant factor for vehicle price. Proposed actions are expected to address all of the following aspects: Simplify system configurations while ensuring energy efficiency for achieving economies of scale and extending component lifespans. Increase the voltage (post 800V) to an optimal level with regard to efficiency, affordability, and performance – and especially the compatibility with Megawatt Charging Systems (MCS) – to support faster charging needs and reduction of charging losses within the vehicle by 10 %, while considering the context of modularity and safety. Demonstrate the benefits of high-voltage systems also for fast charging and addressing auxiliary components, e.g. thermal management, including the modular interchangeability. Consider the possibility of modular and removable battery systems that would favour second-life applications to further enhance sustainability. Develop modular powertrain systems to enable tailored solutions for specific use cases, maintain flexibility for broader applications also by developing and defining relevant hardware and software interfaces. Demonstrate vehicle solutions in relevant environments to ensure the ability for effective integration with innovative Electrical/Electronic (E/E) architecture and thermal management strategies, or wider solutions. Evaluate life-cycle costs against previous lower voltage systems in order to identify potential improvements. This topic implements the co-programmed European Partnership on ‘Towards zero emission road transport’ (2ZERO). As such, projects resulting from this topic will be expected to report on the results to the European Partnership ‘Towards zero emission road transport’ (2ZERO) in support of the monitoring of its KPIs. null Activities are expected to achieve TRL 7 by the end of the project – see General Annex B. Activities may start at any TRL.

Destination

This Destination addresses activities that improve the climate and environmental footprint, as well as competitiveness, of different transport modes. The areas of rail and air traffic management will be addressed through dedicated Institutional European Partnerships and are therefore not included in this document. This Destination contributes directly to the Strategic Plan’s Key Strategic Orientations ‘ Green transition ’, ‘ Digital transition ’ and ‘ A more resilient, competitive, inclusive and democratic Europe ’. In line with the Strategic Plan, the overall expected impact of this Destination is to contribute to the ‘Achieving sustainable and competitive transport modes’ . The main impacts to be generated by topics under this Destination are: Zero-emission road transport Accelerated uptake of a zero-tailpipe emission ecosystem, with interoperable technological solutions developed at system level (vehicles, infrastructure, user and energy grid) that support the global competitiveness of the EU transport and mobility system. Zero-tailpipe emission mobility solutions developed that are affordable, efficient, user-friendly, inclusive, safe and circular with concepts and technologies that are easy to deploy, considering needs, behaviours and socio-economic conditions of all end-users. Clean mobility solutions for a climate neutral and environmentally friendly and zero pollution mobility with a higher level of circularity; Increased responsiveness of zero tailpipe emission vehicles and systems to diverse societal interests and concerns. Aviation Enable breakthrough technologies and innovations that will contribute to the design (addressing also eco-design and circularity principles), manufacturing, maintenance and operations of new generation aircrafts, also powered by renewable energy and sustainable aviation fuels, for a competitive and clean EU aviation ecosystem (including airports). Derisk and accelerate the introduction of new digital technologies (with emphasis on AI) at all levels in the industrial aviation ecosystem, while addressing all safety-related issues in collaboration with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Waterborne transport Higher autonomy range in electric and hybrid vessels. Uptake of renewable and low carbon fuels and improved knowledge on the suitability of innovative renewable and low carbon fuels and other energy carriers for waterborne transport. Support the objectives of the European Port Strategy and Waterborne Industrial Strategy, contributing the role of ports as energy hubs, improving efficiency and safety through digitalization, improving the resilience and security of the transport network, as well as increasing the competitiveness of the industrial and technology EU capabilities. Significant reduction of emissions from large vessels due to the merging of energy efficiency and renewable and low carbon fuels. Sustainability of waterborne transport by design, considering air and water pollution, circularity and life-cycle assessments in shipbuilding. Improved safety of seafarers, port workers and the environment. Transport-related environment and health The better monitoring of the environmental performance and enforcement of emissions regulation and biodiversity protection in order to reduce the overall environmental impact of transport (e.g.: as regards biodiversity, noise, pollution and waste) on human health and ecosystems. Legal entities established in China are not eligible to participate in both Research and Innovation Actions (RIAs) and Innovation Actions (IAs) falling under this destination. For additional information please see “Restrictions on the participation of legal entities established in China” found in General Annex B of the General Annexes.

Conditions and documents

General conditions

1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout

described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.

Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.

2. Eligible Countries

described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.

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. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

3. Other Eligible Conditions

If projects use satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation and/or related timing data and services, beneficiaries must make use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS (other data and services may additionally be used).

Subject to restrictions for the protection of European communication networks.

described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.

4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion

described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.

5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds

are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.

5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes

are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.

5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement

described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.

6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants

The granting authority may, up to 4 years after the end of the action, object to a transfer of ownership or to the exclusive licensing of results, as set out in the specific provision of Annex 5.

Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027) – and in actions under the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (2021-2025) [[This decision is available on the Funding and Tenders Portal, in the reference documents section for Horizon Europe, under ‘Simplified costs decisions’ or through this link: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/guidance/ls-decision_he_en.pdf]].

described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Specific conditions

Not applicable.

Support information

Online Manual is your guide on the procedures from proposal submission to managing your grant. Horizon Europe Programme Guide contains the detailed guidance to the structure, budget and political priorities of Horizon Europe. Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ – find the answers to most frequently asked questions on submission of proposals, evaluation and grant management. Research Enquiry Service – ask questions about any aspect of European research in general and the EU Research Framework Programmes in particular. National Contact Points (NCPs) – get guidance, practical information and assistance on participation in Horizon Europe. There are also NCPs in many non-EU and non-associated countries (‘third-countries’). Enterprise Europe Network – contact your EEN national contact for advice to businesses with special focus on SMEs. The support includes guidance on the EU research funding. IT Helpdesk – contact the Funding & Tenders Portal IT helpdesk for questions such as forgotten passwords, access rights and roles, technical aspects of submission of proposals, etc. European IPR Helpdesk assists you on intellectual property issues. CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk and ETSI Research Helpdesk – the European Standards Organisations advise you how to tackle standardisation in your project proposal. The European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their recruitment – consult the general principles and requirements specifying the roles, responsibilities and entitlements of researchers, employers and funders of researchers. Partner Search help you find a partner organisation for your proposal.

Raw budget overview
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