Horizon Europe European Union
Neutral-Atom Platform Technologies
This action aims to establish European leadership in neutral-atom quantum simulation and digital quantum computing by delivering: • Fully programmable industry-ready quan…
Horizon Europe · European Union
Enhanced electric operation and battery durability (ZEWT Partnership)
Opens 15 Dec 2026
The EU's Horizon Europe programme expects to make 2 awards of €10 million each, from a total budget of €20 million. Applications close on 14 Apr 2027 (EU calls usually close at 17:00 Brussels time). Organisations in EU member states and Horizon Europe associated countries such as Türkiye can usually take part; the topic conditions control.
- Deadline
- 14 Apr 2027 (in 150 days)
- Opens
- 15 Dec 2026
- Grant amount
- €10 million per project
- Total budget
- €20 million
- Funding rate
- 70% for companies, 100% for non-profits Standard rule for this programme; the call can differ.
- Total budget
- €20 million
- Expected awards
- 2
- Type of action
- HORIZON Innovation Actions · HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based
- Likely applicant types
- Companies, SMEs / start-ups, Non-profits, Universities & research, Public bodies From source categories or programme rules; the call decides.
- Funder
- Horizon Europe (HORIZON)
- Reference
- HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-18
- Call
- HORIZON-CL5-2027-03
- Last checked
- 14 Nov 2026
Expected outcome
Project outputs and results are expected to contribute to all the following expected outcomes:
• Demonstrate autonomy, of at least 150 nm (or 277.8 KM for inland navigation) using electrical storage as the only energy source, while allowing rapid in-route zero-emission replenishment.
• Increase the power output, providing beyond 5 MW as peak propulsion power with corresponding grid capacity.
• Improve systems to increase the number charging cycles combined with high-power charging to suit the operation needs of different ship types and services.
• Identify the operating profiles and business cases for which electric powered shipping will bring significant improvements taking into account the priorities and provisions of the Fitfor55 package, especially FuelEU Maritime, Naiades III, AFIR and RED.
• Develop solutions fitting different ship types and their operational profiles and provide roadmaps for replication.
Read the full text
• Address the degradation and failure in specific maritime operating conditions.
• Improved lifetime and safe use of batteries in waterborne transport by addressing the operation profiles, degradation and failure modes associated with unique waterborne transport operating conditions.
Scope
This topic aims to improve the suitability of fully-battery-electric operation of ferries, short sea shipping, offshore and inland vessels, considering the services they provide, their operation profiles and the possibilities to interact with charging infrastructure. Aspects like increasing the autonomy range of operation and fast charging are a crucial element for short sea shipping and inland routes with short docking periods. Fast charging may also put added strain on batteries in terms of output and durability. Optimization of the onboard electrical architecture and battery chemistry as well as optimized battery monitoring and management systems and more extensive training of crew can to some extent address this challenge. Life cycle aspects should be considered by design in the integration and operation of vessels, as well as the end-of-life of batteries, making sure that operations can be performed during the whole expected life of the vessel. The topic also explores the need to increase the power capability of fully electric vessels, aiming to define scenarios in which the increase of the peak propulsion power is needed to ensure the safety of operations. Proposals should cover the interface between vessels and port operations addressing the regulatory requirements, including operational procedures.
Read the full text
Proposals should address all the following aspects:
• Full scale demonstration of innovative solutions for extended range and extended battery cycles beyond simple scaling up of existing commercial batteries. Solutions to increase the current operational range of electric vessels to at least 150 nm (or 277.8 KM for inland navigation) for short-sea shipping, ferries, offshore of 400-6500 GT vessels, or 86-135 meters for inland river vessels on free-flowing rivers upstream, allowing rapid in route charging and being applicable to representative operating conditions of the chosen ship. Demonstration of the vessel’s economic viability in normal operation. Demonstrations should also consider baseline reference which are already state of the art
• Identifying the operational profiles and services that require higher energy output for safe and effective operation, developing solutions and modelling scenarios to ensure safe and efficient energy management and navigation taking into account the battery pack and recharging possibilities.
• Incorporating energy-efficiency measures, including but not limited to, efficient AC-DC grid, thermal management, high voltage electrical components, energy management and energy modelling for optimal operation.
• Implementation of vessel‑wide adaptive energy‑management solutions that coordinate battery, propulsion and hotel loads, maximising cycle life while minimising emissions.
• Development of solutions for intelligent and optimized battery management to improve energy efficiency and life extension of the batteries. Furthermore, projects should consider life cycle aspects by design and address the end-of-life of…
Who can apply
Consortium of at least 3 independent legal entities from 3 different EU Member States or associated countries, at least one in a Member State (Horizon Europe standard rule).
Applicant categories are a starting point. The official call decides eligibility.
Timing
Single-stage call. Next deadline 2027-04-14. The portal states the exact cut-off time (EU calls usually close at 17:00 Brussels time).
How to apply
- Read the full topic on the Funding & Tenders Portal: expected outcome, scope, type of action and the topic conditions, including any country restrictions.
- Register each participating organisation in the Funding & Tenders Portal to get a PIC.
- Consortium of at least 3 independent legal entities from 3 different EU Member States or associated countries (Horizon Europe standard rule; Türkiye is associated). Confirm in the topic conditions.
- Prepare Part A (administrative forms and budget, completed in the portal) and Part B (the technical description on the official template for this type of action).
- Submit in the portal before the cut-off time on the deadline day. Late submissions are not accepted.
From the call text
- Who can apply
- Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page
- Company stage
- Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page
- Single applicant or consortium
- Read the topic conditions on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for eligible countries, consortium requirements, budget and the application route.
- Where applicants must be based
- Read the topic conditions on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for eligible countries, consortium requirements, budget and the application route.
- Where to apply
- Read the topic conditions on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for eligible countries, consortium requirements, budget and the application route.
Where these facts come from
| Fact | Value | How we know | Taken from the source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deadline | 14 April 2027 “Single-stage call. Next deadline 2027-04-14. The portal states the exact cut-off time (EU calls usually close at 17:00 Brussels time).” | official data field | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Amount per applicant | Unknown — not stated in the source we hold | unknown | — |
| Total budget | €20 million | official data field | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Funding rate | 70% for companies, 100% for non-profits | programme standard rule | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Who can apply | Consortium of at least 3 independent legal entities from 3 different EU Member States or associated countries, at least one in a Member State (Horizon Europe standard rule). | programme standard rule | 15 Nov 2026 |
| Where to apply | Read the topic conditions on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for eligible countries, consortium requirements, budget and the application route. | read from the official text | 15 Nov 2026 |
Official sources
Facts on this page come from the funder’s official data, taken on 14 Nov 2026. The funder's own documents, including later amendments, always take precedence.
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