New calls offer funding to automotive companies, with grants available for a wide range of projects.
If you are working on a cutting-edge technology connected to zero-emission transportation, you could secure funding from three new innovation grant competitions recently opened under the Driving Research & Investment in Vehicle Electrification (DRIVE35) programme.
Delivered by Innovate UK, the Department for Business and Trade, and the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC), the competitions are:
- Scale-Up: Feasibility Studies – Funding feasibility studies into deploying UK manufacturing facilities for new technologies.
- Innovation Fund: Collaborate – Supports collaborative projects to prepare late-stage technologies for commercialisation.
- Innovation Fund: Demonstrate – Funds the development of products or process ‘demonstrators’, which showcase the benefits of your project work.
Below, I’ve explained each of these competitions in more detail, including who’s eligible, what kind of projects they support, and how much funding they offer.
If you want to know whether you’re eligible and have a good chance of winning funding, GrantTree can help. Simply request a free Eligibility and Competitiveness Assessment and in just 30 minutes, our grants experts will tell you:
- Whether you’re eligible (and if not, why not)
- What we judge to be your chances of success
- What other grants and funding you’re eligible for
Scale-Up: Feasibility Studies
What’s it for?
This £5 million competition supports detailed feasibility studies into the deployment of UK-based manufacturing facilities for zero-emission vehicle technologies.
How much funding’s available?
Between £150,000 and £750,000.
Your grant can cover up to 60% of your costs if you’re a micro, small or medium-sized company and 50% if you’re a large company.
You will have to finance the rest of the project costs through revenues, investment, or other forms of government funding.
Explore the funding options available to UK startups and scaleups.
Who’s eligible?
To qualify for this competition, you must:
- Be a UK-registered organisation
- A business of any size (to lead an application)
- Be able to start your project by 1 January 2026
When’s the deadline?
3 September 2025 at 11 am.
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Innovation Fund: Collaborate
What’s it for?
Collaborative* research and development projects that design, develop and enable manufacture of technologies targeting commercialisation.
*Collaborative means involving two more partners. For this competition, the funding bodies suggest no more than six organisations work on a project.
How much funding’s available?
Grants of £2.5 million to £25 million. Your project must be at least 50% match funded.
Who’s eligible?
To qualify for this competition, you must:
- Be a business of any size (to lead an application)
- Be developing a technology that supports the transition to zero-emission vehicles
- Be looking to achieve Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 7-8 or Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL) 5-6 by the end of your project
- Be able to start your project by 1 March 2026
Your consortium must include:
- At least one SME
- At least one vehicle manufacturer or Tier 1 supplier who supplies parts directly to an OEM
When’s the deadline?
1 October 2025 at 11 am.
Innovation Fund: Demonstrate
What’s it for?
This strand will provide funding for organisations to develop a ‘demonstrator’, meaning a product or process showcasing the benefits and commercial opportunity of your technology.
How much funding’s available?
Between £500,000 and £1.5 million. Your project must be at least 50% match funded.
Who’s eligible?
To qualify for this competition, you must:
- Be a business of any size (to lead an application)
- Be developing a technology that supports the transition to zero-emission vehicles
- Be looking to complete a project that takes your technology to TRL 5 or 6 or MRL 4-5
- Be able to start your project by 1 February 2026
When’s the deadline?
1 October 2025 at 11 am.
How GrantTree Can Help
Thinking about applying for the DRIVE35? GrantTree can maximise your chances of securing a game-changing grant.
Calling on our matched experience securing funding from Innovate UK, and support from our network of active Innovate UK assessors, we’ll make sure you put forward the strongest possible application.
To get help with your DRIVE35 application, or to find out more about how we can help you win grant funding, just get in touch.
