DRIVE35 Feasibility Studies

DRIVE35 Feasibility Studies

Funds United Kingdom manufacturing feasibility work for zero-emission vehicle scaling.

⚠ This may reflect a past cycle — verify the current call on the funder's site.

DRIVE35 Feasibility Studies is a grant stream operated by the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) under its DRIVE35 Scale-up program, helping UK-registered businesses develop decision-ready business cases for scaling up production of zero-emission vehicle technologies. APC is based at the University of Warwick, Coventry, and co-funds competitions with Innovate UK and the Department for Business and Trade. The 2025–26 cycle covered a broad set of eligible technologies: electrical energy storage and battery systems, electric machines and drivetrains, power electronics and V2X systems, ICE applications for off-road zero-emission use, lightweight structures, fuel cells, hydrogen storage, and EV assembly.

For the 2025–26 cycle, grant requests ranged from £150,000 to £750,000, covering up to 50% of eligible costs for large organizations and up to 60% for SMEs. The entry threshold was a minimum of TRL 5 or MRL 4. Projects were single-applicant (substantial subcontracts permitted), had a fixed start date of May 1, 2026, and a maximum project duration of nine months. The application deadline was December 17, 2025; applicants were notified March 4, 2026. The 2025–26 cycle is now closed.

The next DRIVE35 Feasibility Studies cycle dates have not yet been published. The program runs on a recurring annual pattern, making it a reliable instrument for UK automotive suppliers preparing investment cases for new or upgraded manufacturing facilities. Companies planning to apply in the next cycle should monitor APC's funding index at apcuk.co.uk and prepare technology readiness and manufacturing readiness evidence in advance, as the competitive scoring heavily weights the applicant's ability to demonstrate near-term scale-up viability and clear benefit to the UK automotive sector.