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

The main goal of this opportunity is to create advanced, user-focused solutions that improve energy efficiency and maintain consistent driving range in Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs), especially in extreme weather conditions ranging from -15°C to +45°C. The initiative aims to reduce range loss caused by heating or cooling needs by at least 30% compared to current technologies, without increasing system costs. Focus areas include innovative energy management, integration with smart city standards, user research on thermal comfort, and the development of intelligent, safe, and affordable systems. Projects should balance technical innovation with user needs and vehicle affordability. The opportunity is open to eligible countries as defined by the Horizon Europe Programme, including some non-EU countries with special provisions.

• Projects must aim to develop solutions that improve energy efficiency and driving range in BEVs under various weather conditions.
• Proposals should target at least a 30% reduction in range loss due to climate control compared to current standards.
• Solutions must not increase overall system costs.
• Projects should include user research to define personalised thermal comfort thresholds.
• Integration with smart city standards and the creation of safe, affordable, and intelligent systems is required.
• Proposals must follow the page limits and layout specified in the application form.

Examples:

• Developing a new climate control system for BEVs that adapts to user comfort preferences and reduces energy use in both hot and cold climates.
• Creating a smart energy management platform that integrates BEVs with city infrastructure to optimise charging and climate control.
• Designing affordable, intelligent sensor systems that monitor and balance in-car temperature for different users, improving range without extra cost.

• Personnel costs for research and development
• Costs for purchasing or developing hardware and software for BEV systems
• Expenses for testing and validation of innovative solutions
• Costs related to user research and data collection
• Travel and meeting expenses for project collaboration
• Subcontracting necessary for technical or research activities
• Costs for integration with smart city infrastructure
• Dissemination and communication expenses
• Project management and coordination costs

Restrictions: All costs must be covered by the lump sum contribution format, as specified in the Horizon Europe Programme. Only eligible costs as defined by the programme guidelines will be accepted.

• Budget for this Call: 5.000.000€
• Number of Grants attributed: 1

• Legal entities from EU Member States and Horizon‑associated countries may participate, following Horizon Europe rules (General Annex B).

• Applicants must form a consortium of at least three independent legal entities based in three different eligible countries, with at least one entity in an EU Member State.

• Every consortium participant must demonstrate financial and operational capacity per General Annex C requirements.

• The project must clearly address the 2ZERO Partnership goals, offering innovative logistics models to enable scalable long-haul operation of heavy-duty BEVs, optimized vehicle configurations, and charging strategies based on real operational data across TEN‑T corridors and diverse European regions.

• Eligible proposals must include real-world demonstration of these logistics concepts and associated digital tools (e.g. planning software or digital twins) integrated across border and operational variability.

• Standard ethical, legal, integrity, exclusion and compliance checks apply under Horizon Europe rules.