The decrease of CO2 & particulates emissions is a main challenge of the automotive sector. European OEMs and automotive manufacturers need new long term technologies, still to be implemented by 2030. Currently, hybrid powertrains are considered as the main trend to achieve clean and efficient vehicles. EAGLE project is to improve energy efficiency of road transport vehicles by developing an ultra-lean Spark Ignition gasoline engine, adapted to future electrified powertrains. This new concept using a conventional engine architecture will demonstrate more than 50% peak brake thermal efficiency while reducing particulate and NOx emissions. It will also reach real driving Euro 6 values with no conformity factor. This innovative approach will consequently support the achievement of long term fleet targets of 50 g/km CO2 by providing affordable hybrid solution. EAGLE will tackle several challenges focusing on: • Reducing engine thermal losses through a smart coating approach to lower volumetric specific heat capacity under 1.5 MJ/m3K • Reaching ultra-lean combustion (lambda > 2) with very low particulate (down to 10 nm) emission by innovative hydrogen boosting • Developing breakthrough ignition system for ultra-lean combustion • Investigating a close loop combustion control for extreme lean limit stabilization • Addressing and investigating NOx emissions reduction technologies based on a tailor made NOx storage catalyst and using H2 as a reducing agent for SCR. A strong engine modeling approach will allow to predict thermal and combustion performances to support development and assess engine performances prior to single and multi-cylinder test bench application. An interdisciplinary consortium made of nine partners from four different countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain) will share its cutting-edge know-how in new combustion process, sensing, control, engine manufacturing, ignition system, simulation & modeling, advanced coating, as well as after-treatment systems.

PERMANET is a Sustainable REE Innovation and Supply Network covering the full Rare Earth Elements (REE) Permanent Magnet (PM) value chain. It is structured upon 5 layers: 1) Three Sustainable, Connected Tech ‘Hubs’ segmented along the full REE PM value chain and organizing thematic collaborative R&D and supply ecosystems 2) 13 fully Scalable Innovations to reach TRL7 and expand in scale and deployment range along the entire value chain 3) A structural layer of R&D infrastructure, equipment and services to fuel Pilot and Demonstration activities 4) Five Enabling “Engines” addressing the key conditions for sustainable and competitive REE supply 5) All embedded within a single PERMANET Network Infrastructure with its own, sustainable organizational model. The Network accelerates leading-edge innovations, from REE extraction from mining tailings and hydrometallurgical processes to oxide reduction and innovative production processes, all the way to the production of innovative PM and their testing by end users in industrial environment across 1/ E-Mobility 2/ Energy 3/ Industrial Equipment. PERMANET also secures key sources of REE such as leading mining projects from the EU and Partner Countries, as well as End of Life (EoL) sectors (WEEE, EV, etc.). The project relies on enabling activities ranging from strategic venturing to investment support to build sub-optimal EU REE PM Segments. The project unlocks viable reserves of REE including unconventional sources and will demonstrate novel, cost-effective, and environmentally sound REE extraction, processing, and separation routes, as well as demonstrate the first EU hub for PM boosting circular PM technologies to deploy at market scale. The project is ready to be fully integrated with other EU-backed PM Hubs and aims to grow into a fully-fledged Pan-EU pilot and demonstration infrastructure to remain sustainable post-funding.

The steadily growing demand related to increasing urbanisation is turning the management of logistics flows in urban areas a more complex process, with higher demand for adaptability and flexibility for the new solutions to contribute to optimise the overall transport capacity, reducing operational costs and negative impacts (health, safety). URBANIZED develops and demonstrates the next generation of modular vehicle architectures for urban-sized commercial e-vehicles, satisfying design principles of optimisation and right-sizing vehicles for their mission, delivering outputs in 3 dimensions: 1) high-performance e-powertrain components and control architectures, through the use of advanced co-design approaches; 2) interchangeable, plug & play cargo modules for different urban freight transport use case scenarios and 3) integrated energy and fleet management strategies using data, connectivity and learning algorithms. URBANIZED follows a holistic design approach working at 3 levels (systems, vehicle, fleet) during the entire project: starting with the definition of specific mission profiles within 2 main pre-selected use cases (last-mile delivery of retail, e-commerce, courier and post; HoReCa and other urban on-demand services), during the optimisation loops of the design process, and until project demonstrations, to be performed both physical and in virtual environments, covering the specific requirements of operators. URBANIZED brings a complementary multi-disciplinary consortium of 9 partners from 6 EU countries, involving all relevant actors from the value chain, from academic, to industrial (TIER1, OEMs) and logistics operators. Aiming at broadening dissemination and impact, URBANIZED defines an extended partnership, involving 3 satellite cities (Groningen, Madrid and Bergen) committed to CO2-emissions free logistics in their city centres by 2030 and a high volume OEM (Ford) highly positioned in the LCV market, all interested in replicability of project results.

Optimised energy management and use (OPTEMUS) represents an opportunity for overcoming one of the biggest barriers towards large scale adoption of electric and plug-in hybrid cars: range limitation due to limited storage capacity of electric batteries. The OPTEMUS project proposes to tackle this bottleneck by leveraging low energy consumption and energy harvesting through a holistic vehicle-occupant-centred approach, considering space, cost and complexity requirements. Specifically, OPTEMUS intends to develop a number of innovative core technologies (Integrated thermal management system comprising the compact refrigeration unit and the compact HVAC unit, battery housing and insulation as thermal and electric energy storage, thermal energy management control unit, regenerative shock absorbers) and complementary technologies (localised conditioning, comprising the smart seat with implemented TED and the smart cover panels, PV panels) combined with intelligent controls (eco-driving and eco-routing strategies, predictive cabin preconditioning strategy with min. energy consumption, electric management strategy). The combined virtual and real-life prototyping and performance assessment in a state of the art, on-the-market A-segment electric vehicle (Fiat 500e) of this package of technologies will allow demonstrating a minimum of 32% of energy consumption reduction for component cooling and 60% for passenger comfort, as well as an additional 15% being available for traction, leading to an increase of the driving range in extreme weather conditions of at least 44 km (38%) in a hot ambient (+35ºC and 40% rH) and 63 km (70%) in a cold ambient (-10ºC and 90% rH).

The HELIOS project aims at developing and integrating innovative materials, designs, technologies and processes to create a new concept of smart, modular and scalable battery pack for a wide range of electric vehicles used in urban electromobility services, from mid-size electric vehicles to electric buses, with improved performance, energy density, safety, lifetime and LCoS (Levelized Cost of Storage). Novel developments that integrate hardware and software solutions for the smart control of electrical and thermal management systems that exploit advanced materials, power electronics, sensors and cutting-edge ICT, such as cloud-based Big Data Analysis, Artificial Intelligence and IoT (Internet of Things) technologies running in the cloud are investigated and implemented within the HELIOS action. These combined approaches enable: i) increase energy and power density; ii) enhance key characteristics like ultra-high power charging; iii) improve safety; iv) improve E fleet control and health management strategies to extend lifetime; v) create optimised EV charge and discharge procedures and predictive maintenance schedules; vi) monitor SOC (State of Charge), SOH (State of Health) and carbon footprint for each battery pack throughout its entire life cycle, which allows an effective integrated supply chain for the manufacture, reuse and recycling of Li-ion battery packs to be established; viii) improve battery pack design and performance with reduced LCoS, based on a circular economy approach where the modular battery packs can be easily re-used in a range of 2nd life applications prior to EoL recycling and ix) assessment of HELIOS solution effectiveness in different urban electromobility models such as car-fleets and e-bus fleets.