Specific Challenge:

At present, the first generation of electric vehicles have proven their potential although there is still scope for future improvement. So while research and the development of electric vehicle technology has progressed well, the integration of new technologies in the existing transport system still requires substantial effort, mainly in urban areas. The sound deployment of electric mobility in European cities and the realisation of a certain degree of alignment require the involvement of stakeholders at national, regional and even local authority level, who are in charge of the legislative and regulatory framework. Integrated with, but not overlapping, the European Green Vehicles Initiative, the ERA-NET Cofund represents a new dimension of Public Private Partnership. It ensures that the complementary approaches and means of national and regional authorities are appropriately included and receptive to research achievement from the industrial sector.

A European approach is essential to realise the ambition of effectively bringing electric mobility to the market: it allows key players to come together on a transnational scale; it helps to identify and to tackle the barriers holding back the introduction of innovative urban electrification products and services in the single market. Implementation of electrification needs to be increasingly based on partnerships that build the necessary scale and scope, and achieve greater impact from scarce public and private resources.

Scope:

The proposed scope of the ERA-NET Cofund on Electric Urban Mobility reflects the progress that was made in previous years and consequently sets a specific focus on urban areas, where the next important steps in the innovation cycle will take place. Proposals will aim at the innovation and deployment needs for 2020 and the years after. Activities should focus on demonstrating and validating solutions that have already reached sufficient maturity for deployment. These should be complementary to, and not duplicate the scope of, the other projects of the European Green Car and European Green Vehicle Initiatives. Appropriate user and general public acceptance, regulatory, market up-take, social, environmental and resource efficiency aspects should be included. In principle all modes of surface transport are relevant. Urban freight and logistics is in scope (e.g. smart urban delivery fleets), but the focus will rather be on passenger transport (e.g. car sharing with EVs).

The proposals should pool the necessary financial resources from the participating national and regional research programmes with a view to implementing a joint call for proposals resulting in grants to third parties with EU co-funding in this area. Proposers are encouraged to include other joint activities including additional joint calls without EU co-funding. Call content should take into account the European Green Vehicles Initiative to ensure no duplication of funding.

Participation of legal entities from international partner countries is encouraged in the joint call as well as in other joint activities. Participants from countries which are not automatically eligible for funding[[http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/docs/h2020-funding-guide/cross... may nonetheless request a Union contribution to cover the coordination costs of additional activities on the basis of the ERA-NET unit cost.

To adequately address this specific challenge and generate a substantial impact, a call volume of EUR 30 million is considered to be appropriate (including a contribution from the EU of up to EUR 10 million).

Nota bene: Budgets should be determined in consultation with the respective initiatives to balance ambition in achieving critical mass and absorption capacity as well as aligning financial planning between MS and the EU.

Expected Impact:

This action will result in:

―Acceleration of the time to market of affordable, cost-effective and socially acceptable solutions to integrate electric mobility in Europe's urban transport systems.

―Reduction of the environmental footprint and the energy payback time.

―Strengthening the industrial technology base, thereby creating growth and jobs in Europe.

―Tangible and practical guidance to the decision makers in the relevant authorities and support industry as well as the service sector to provide suitable and feasible solutions for electric mobility in European urban areas.

―Contribution to climate action and sustainable development objectives.

Delegation Exception Footnote:

This activity directly aimed at supporting the development and implementation of evidence base for R&I policies and supporting various groups of stakeholders is excluded from the delegation to the Innovation and Networks Executive Agency (INEA) and will be implemented by the Commission services.

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