Innovate UK funding available for electric vehicle-to-grid technologies

Up to £20 million is available from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy - working with the Office for Low Emission Vehicles and Innovate UK - to fund projects that investigate new business models, consumer awareness and technologies that support interaction between electric vehicles and the grid.

So-called vehicle-to-grid technologies are expected to play a big part in making the UK’s electricity supply network smarter and in encouraging take-up.

Vehicles that can take electricity from the grid when demand is low and return it when demand is high could help to even out peaks and troughs and make the grid more efficient.

The UK government wants nearly all cars to be zero emission by 2050, and it sees a smarter and more flexible electricity system as a major benefit to consumers and a key to future growth.

Project information

There are competitions for feasibility studies, collaborative research and development, and real-world demonstrators.

Projects are sought in:

• business models, technology and service standards
• understanding user acceptance and consumer engagement
• on- and off-vehicle hardware, including bi-directional chargers, battery hardware and software, and cyber security
• trials of different products and services in different scenarios

Larger projects are expected to include a variety of partners including from the automotive, energy and infrastructure sectors. All projects must be led by a business working with other businesses or research partners.

Find out more about our work in manufacturing and materials.

Feasibility studies

• the competition is open and the deadline for applications is midday 18 October 2017
• up to £2 million is available for feasibility studies
• feasibility projects should last 12 months and range in size from total costs of £125,000 up to £225,000
• businesses could attract up to 70% of their total costs

Find out more about the competition for feasibility studies and apply.

Collaborative research and development

• the competition is open and the deadline for applications is midday 18 October 2017
• up to £4 million is available for collaborative research and development
• collaborative research and development projects should last between 18 months and 3 years and range in size from total costs of £375,000 to £1.5 million
• businesses could attract up to 70% of their total costs

Find out more about the competition for collaborative research and development and apply.

Real-world demonstrators

• the competition is open and the deadline for applications is midday 18 October 2017
• up to £14 million is available for demonstrator trials in real-world environments at scale
• demonstrator projects should last up to 3 years and project size should range from £1.5 million to £7 million
• businesses could attract up to 70% of their total costs for technical feasibility studies and industrial research, or up to 45% for experimental development projects that are nearer to market

Find out more about the competition for demonstrator projects and apply.