DRIVE35 Scale-up Fund

This fund supports UK-registered businesses, either alone or in collaboration with other organisations, to scale up zero emission vehicle technologies through pilot or demonstration-scale manufacturing projects requiring substantial private co-investment.

DRIVE35 (Driving Research and Investment in Vehicle Electrification) is funded by the Department for Business and Trade (DBT). It is aimed at transforming the UK’s automotive industry.

The DRIVE35 Scale Up Fund is jointly operated by Innovate UK (IUK) and the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC). It exists alongside access to finance support available for eligible projects from the National Wealth Fund (NWF).

The Fund supports the development and commercial scale-up of innovative zero emission vehicle technologies and related supply chains in the UK. The programme focuses on manufacturing facility and process development at pilot or demonstration scale, enabling businesses to validate manufacturing capability and commercial viability to achieve targeted production volumes.

Projects must demonstrate a clear case for government intervention and be matched by substantial private investment. They are required to support the growth, transition and resilience of the UK automotive supply chain, increasing capability, productivity, efficiency and competitiveness. Proposals should also align with national priorities such as the Industrial Strategy, the Automotive Council’s Roadmaps and Strategic Technology Areas.

Eligible activities include engineering, creating or converting, and validating manufacturing capability and process development at scale. The fund targets technologies for on-vehicle applications in areas such as electrical energy storage (including batteries and supercapacitors), electric machines and drivelines, power electronics (including Vehicle-to-Everything systems), light weighting materials and processes, fuel cell systems, hydrogen storage and management, and zero emission vehicle assembly. Projects relating to off-road internal combustion engines may also be supported where they enable a transition to zero emissions using non-fossil fuels.