Higher Voltage, Megawatt Charging System compatible, modular powertrain for Heavy Duty Vehicles (HDV) (2ZERO Partnership)

Expected Outcome:

Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

• Demonstrated integration potential and modularity of next level advanced high-voltage systems to benefit cost of Commercial Vehicles (CV) in particular for the Heavy-Duty Vehicles (HDV) segment.
• Improved energy efficiency and higher utilization potential of HDV (ensuring full operational capability for the intended usage models) via high-voltage powertrain configurations.
• Demonstrated benefits of high-voltage systems also for fast charging and auxiliary components.

Scope:

Major challenges still faced by Heavy Duty Battery Electric Vehicles (HD-BEV) are cost and fast charging. As electric vehicles become more attractive through Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), significantly higher acquisition costs remain, partly caused by the wide spectrum of usage scenarios and a relatively low number of vehicles, which makes development costs a significant factor for vehicle price. Proposed actions are expected to address all of the following aspects:

• Simplify system configurations while ensuring energy efficiency for achieving economies of scale and extending component lifespans.
• Increase the voltage (post 800V) to an optimal level with regard to efficiency, affordability, and performance – and especially the compatibility with Megawatt Charging Systems (MCS) – to support faster charging needs and reduction of charging losses within the vehicle by 10 %, while considering the context of modularity and safety.
• Demonstrate the benefits of high-voltage systems also for fast charging and addressing auxiliary components, e.g. thermal management, including the modular interchangeability.
• Consider the possibility of modular and removable battery systems that would favour second-life applications to further enhance sustainability.
• Develop modular powertrain systems to enable tailored solutions for specific use cases, maintain flexibility for broader applications also by developing and defining relevant hardware and software interfaces.
• Demonstrate vehicle solutions in relevant environments to ensure the ability for effective integration with innovative Electrical/Electronic (E/E) architecture and thermal management strategies, or wider solutions.
• Evaluate life-cycle costs against previous lower voltage systems in order to identify potential improvements.

This topic implements the co-programmed European Partnership on ‘Towards zero emission road transport’ (2ZERO). As such, projects resulting from this topic will be expected to report on the results to the European Partnership ‘Towards zero emission road transport’ (2ZERO) in support of the monitoring of its KPIs. Technology Readiness Level - Technology readiness level expected from completed projects Activities are expected to achieve TRL 7 by the end of the project – see General Annex B. Activities may start at any TRL.

Submissions open on 15 December 2026.

Part of call HORIZON-CL5-2027-03

Type of action: HORIZON Innovation Actions

Programme period: 2021 - 2027

Priorities: PART-COPROGR, AI, DigitalAgenda

"> General conditions

1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout

described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.

Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.

2. Eligible Countries

described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide .

3. Other Eligible Conditions

If projects use satellite-based earth observation, positioning, navigation and/or related timing data and services, beneficiaries must make use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS (other data and services may additionally be used).

In line with the “ restriction on control in innovation actions in critical technology areas ” delineated in General Annex B of the General Annexes, entities established in an eligible country but which are directly or indirectly controlled by China or by a legal entity established in China are not eligible to participate in the action.

described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.

4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion

described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.

5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds

are described in