Automotive funding opportunities

From start-up to concept, innovation to commercialisation, and onward to large-scale transformation, DRIVE35 offers more zero-emission funding opportunities than ever before.

woman with laptop inside car

Delivered in partnership with the Department for Business & Trade, Innovate UK and the APC, the DRIVE35 programme has evolved from the UK Government’s Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan, which outlines their commitment to a zero-emission future, with an unprecedented £2bn of grant funding available to 2030 for Automotive R&D, scale-up and transformation.

UK funding journey

  • Innovation

    Supporting innovation by funding new strategic and disruptive technologies for zero-emission vehicles.

  • Scale-up

    Accelerating scale-up by improving time-to-market and developing an unprecedented pipeline of investment prospects.

  • Transformation

    Enabling transformation by driving capital investment in the internationally competitive EV supply chain.

Highlights

From the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan for Automotive

  • £2bn

    to 2030 for Automotive R&D, scale-up and transformation

  • £500m

    further investment for R&D to 2035

  • £452m

    committed to the Battery Innovation Programme, building on the Faraday Battery Challenge foundations

  • £150m

    to 2030 for CAM Pathfinder

Supporting

Innovation

The Innovation pillar is focused on delivering SME growth and late-stage R&D projects.

  • Coming soon

    Mobilise

    Supporting SMEs, start-ups, spinouts and even more mature organisations, with early-stage R&D projects. Receive funding and mentoring to ensure your technology is investment and market-ready.

    Find out more
  • Open

    Demonstrate

    Accelerate your R&D programme by building a product or process demonstrator in under 12 months.

    Find out more
  • Open

    Collaborate

    Match-funded grants available to consortium partners to support the design, development and delivery of strategic ZEV technologies.

    Find out more

Accelerating

Scale-up

Funding opportunities designed to support rapid scale-up of pioneering technologies achieving targeted production volumes at an accelerated pace.

  • Open

    Feasibility Studies

    Validate the business and investment case for your manufacturing project at pilot, demonstration or full industrial scale.

    Find out more
  • Coming soon

    Scale-up Fund

    Once validated, the Scale-up Fund enables investment into building a manufacturing facility or developing a specific process development at pilot-scale or demonstration-scale.

    Find out more

Enabling

Transformation

Supporting large-scale capital investments in the UK.

  • Open

    Automotive Transformation Fund

    This funding stream aims to develop a UK-based zero-emission vehicle value chain and support the transition to BEV future.

    Find out more

Latest

News and further information

Speak to us!

To find out more about DRIVE35 or to understand which grant is right for your business, speak to our team at APC.