Zero Emission electric Vehicles enabled by haRmonised circulArity

Project Information

ZEvRA

Grant agreement ID: 101138034

DOI

10.3030/101138034

EC signature date 12 December 2023

Start date 1 January 2024

End date 31 December 2026

Funded under

• Climate, Energy and Mobility

Total cost

€ 11 382 948,50

EU contribution

€ 11 382 948,50

Coordinated by

FRAUNHOFER GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG EV
Germany

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - ZEvRA (Zero Emission electric Vehicles enabled by haRmonised circulArity)

Reporting period: 2024-01-01 to 2025-06-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The ZEvRA project addresses the pressing political and societal need to enable a zero-carbon transition in road transport, targeting the entire life cycle of light-duty electric vehicles (EVs). While EVs reduce tailpipe emissions, their production–from raw materials through manufacturing to end of life (EoL)—currently generates substantial CO2 equivalents, undermining full decarbonisation and sustainable deployment of EV fleets.

Politically, ZEvRA aligns with the EU’s goal of achieving zero CO2e emissions in the EV value chain by 2035, a key milestone under the European Green Deal and the 2ZERO partnership. Technologically, the project confronts the absence of harmonised design-for-circularity methodologies and the fragmented EV materials value chain.

To meet these challenges, ZEvRA aims to develop a comprehensive Design for Circularity (DfC) methodology that is systematically based on the principles of the 9R hierarchy, to establish a harmonised framework for circular vehicle design. Central to the project is the conception of a modular Circular Car Concept, which builds upon the reference vehicle Škoda Enyaq and integrates eight distinct use cases specifically designed to minimise the reliance on virgin materials throughout the vehicle lifecycle. In parallel, the project seeks to validate zero-emission material solutions across more than 84% of the relevant material categories, encompassing steel, various aluminium alloys, thermoplastic composites, short and long/continuous fibre polymers, glass, tyres, and rare-earth elements.

Furthermore, the development of digital tools constitutes a critical component of the project, enabling comprehensive support for manufacturing case studies, traceability processes, as well as design and circularity assessments. To facilitate the widespread adoption of circular practices within the automotive sector, the project places significant emphasis on fostering targeted training and upskilling programmes for both industry professionals and academic stakeholders. Finally, the advancement of circular business models for end-of-life strategies and associated logistics is pursued with the explicit goal of enhancing economic viability and promoting sustainable value creation within the automotive value chain.

Innovations are expected to impact at least 59 % of all European EVs by 2035, with the commitment of five OEMs and Tier suppliers, and leading research institutions in Europe.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Since its commencement on 1 January 2024, the ZEvRA project has progressed through a series of well-coordinated activities across multiple disciplines. A key focus has been the development of a harmonised Design for Circularity (DfC) approach. In this context, the project produced an inception report outlining a structured four-step methodology, established dedicated working groups, and conducted multidisciplinary workshops. These workshops actively employed tools such as the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to systematically involve material experts, vehicle designers, and potential end users in the development process.

In parallel, the project delivered a preliminary circularity assessment framework at an early stage, providing a robust baseline for future evaluations and comparisons. Significant effort has also been directed towards the development of technical tools and methods designed to support the assessment of material and design suitability, as well as AI-based simulations and traceability solutions.

The validation of sustainable materials represents another critical work stream. Specific emphasis has been placed on evaluating and optimising environmentally improved aluminium alloys, assessing their mechanical properties, and conducting process simulations such as forming and reshaping operations. In addition, material compositions for plastics, composites, and rubber are being specifically developed and transferred into the practical use cases defined within the project.

To ensure the structured progression and quality control of the project, comprehensive risk management and scientific monitoring processes have been implemented. These include the preparation of two successive versions of the Risk Management Plan, a Project Identity inception report, and detailed technical monitoring guidelines. Furthermore, a Data Management Plan has been established, which integrates open science principles, addresses gender aspects and ethical considerations, and ensures compliance with data protection requirements across the entire project.

Active engagement and coordination within the project consortium are maintained through regular project meetings. In addition, an External Stakeholder Board has been established to systematically involve third-party actors and external experts, thereby fostering broader perspectives and ensuring alignment with industry and societal expectations.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

ZEvRA makes several clear advances beyond the current state of the art. First, it achieves methodological harmonisation by defining and implementing a standardised, multi-step Design for Circularity (DfC) methodology, thereby remedying the existing fragmentation within the electric-vehicle manufacturing ecosystem. Second, the project delivers unprecedented material innovation coverage: by addressing more than 84 percent of vehicle materials—including steel, three distinct aluminium grades, composites, plastics, glass, tyres, and rare-earth elements—it not only sets a new benchmark for comprehensiveness but also investigates strategies to minimise the use of virgin materials and identifies the barriers to doing so. Third, ZEvRA’s modular Circular Car Concept serves as a blueprint vehicle model designed explicitly to reduce dependence on new materials and to incorporate circular-economy principles throughout its architecture. Fourth, the project develops a suite of digital methods and tools—ranging from AI-driven component simulations and predictive models for recycled-material performance to design-for-circularity support in early development stages and the implementation of a digital product passport—to enable effective repurposing technologies and traceability. Finally, by introducing an EU-wide training programme and pioneering end-of-life business models focused on circular-economy economics, ZEvRA provides scalable, replicable templates for workforce development and sustainable value chains. In the long term, the project explicitly aims to strengthen secondary raw-material markets and establish Europe-wide benchmarks for circular vehicle production.