Periodic Reporting for period 1 - ZEV-UP (Frugal Zero-Emission Vehicles for the Urban Passenger challenge)
Période du rapport: 2024-01-01 au 2025-06-30
Cities across Europe and beyond are facing growing challenges from congestion, air pollution, and rising costs of mobility. While electric vehicles are increasingly seen as a solution to reduce emissions, most models on the market remain too expensive or oversized for many users, especially in urban and emerging markets.
The ZEV-UP project addresses these needs by developing frugal, modular, and ultra-compact battery electric vehicles (BEVs) that can adapt to different usage models while remaining cost-efficient and user-friendly. The project aims to demonstrate how a new generation of small electric vehicles, with swappable and scalable batteries, lightweight construction, and efficient design, can provide sustainable mobility options tailored to both advanced and emerging markets.
The overall objectives of ZEV-UP are to:
Develop a modular vehicle platform adaptable to multiple configurations (2-seater, 4-seater, and small commercial variants).
Increase energy efficiency and reduce costs through lightweight materials, additive manufacturing, and shared components across models.
Integrate frugal and sustainable battery solutions, including a swappable battery system for greater flexibility and user convenience.
Demonstrate real-world performance and acceptance, by testing prototypes with users, operators, and city stakeholders.
Assess broader impacts on society, environment, and industry, ensuring alignment with the EU Green Deal and sustainable mobility policies.
ZEV-UP is expected to generate a significant impact by:
Lowering the total cost of ownership of BEVs and making them accessible to a wider population.
Enabling up to 60% part commonality across vehicle variants, reducing costs through economies of scale.
Achieving 5–8% range improvements and 15–20% lower carbon footprint compared to similar-sized vehicles.
Providing practical solutions for urban environments, such as smaller footprints for easier parking and charging times under 2 hours for the base model.
The ZEV-UP project addresses these needs by developing frugal, modular, and ultra-compact battery electric vehicles (BEVs) that can adapt to different usage models while remaining cost-efficient and user-friendly. The project aims to demonstrate how a new generation of small electric vehicles, with swappable and scalable batteries, lightweight construction, and efficient design, can provide sustainable mobility options tailored to both advanced and emerging markets.
The overall objectives of ZEV-UP are to:
Develop a modular vehicle platform adaptable to multiple configurations (2-seater, 4-seater, and small commercial variants).
Increase energy efficiency and reduce costs through lightweight materials, additive manufacturing, and shared components across models.
Integrate frugal and sustainable battery solutions, including a swappable battery system for greater flexibility and user convenience.
Demonstrate real-world performance and acceptance, by testing prototypes with users, operators, and city stakeholders.
Assess broader impacts on society, environment, and industry, ensuring alignment with the EU Green Deal and sustainable mobility policies.
ZEV-UP is expected to generate a significant impact by:
Lowering the total cost of ownership of BEVs and making them accessible to a wider population.
Enabling up to 60% part commonality across vehicle variants, reducing costs through economies of scale.
Achieving 5–8% range improvements and 15–20% lower carbon footprint compared to similar-sized vehicles.
Providing practical solutions for urban environments, such as smaller footprints for easier parking and charging times under 2 hours for the base model.
In period 1, ZEV-UP focused on laying the scientific and technical foundations needed to design, build, and later demonstrate frugal battery electric vehicles.
The project began by conducting comprehensive user and market studies, gathering insights from different regions and mobility models. These studies provided detailed requirements for vehicle design, such as affordability, comfort, charging convenience, and fleet adaptability together with defining a set of KPIs.
Based on this groundwork, the consortium defined the system requirements for the vehicle platform and subsystems. This included a benchmark analysis of comparable vehicles, which highlighted both strengths and weaknesses of existing solutions and guided the design choices for ZEV-UP.
A major technical achievement during this period has been the design of a modular and scalable vehicle architecture. This platform can accommodate the different body styles and a compact commercial version – while maximising part commonality across variants.
In parallel, battery technologies were advanced with the design of modular packs compatible with a swappable concept. Candidate cells were procured and tested. Integration studies ensured compatibility with the vehicle chassis and swappability requirements. To manage risks and accelerate progress, a combination of in-house design and proven off-the-shelf battery management systems was adopted.
The powertrain and propulsion systems were also developed in close alignment with the vehicle concept.
Preparatory work for the digital twin of the demonstrator vehicles was initiated. Although the dedicated partner joined after an amendment, baseline activities and framework discussions were advanced with technical teams to ensure smooth integration once the modelling work begins.
Finally, planning for prototype assembly and testing was completed. Virtual assembly trials were performed to identify and resolve potential packaging or integration issues before physical builds begin, reducing material waste and saving development time.
The project began by conducting comprehensive user and market studies, gathering insights from different regions and mobility models. These studies provided detailed requirements for vehicle design, such as affordability, comfort, charging convenience, and fleet adaptability together with defining a set of KPIs.
Based on this groundwork, the consortium defined the system requirements for the vehicle platform and subsystems. This included a benchmark analysis of comparable vehicles, which highlighted both strengths and weaknesses of existing solutions and guided the design choices for ZEV-UP.
A major technical achievement during this period has been the design of a modular and scalable vehicle architecture. This platform can accommodate the different body styles and a compact commercial version – while maximising part commonality across variants.
In parallel, battery technologies were advanced with the design of modular packs compatible with a swappable concept. Candidate cells were procured and tested. Integration studies ensured compatibility with the vehicle chassis and swappability requirements. To manage risks and accelerate progress, a combination of in-house design and proven off-the-shelf battery management systems was adopted.
The powertrain and propulsion systems were also developed in close alignment with the vehicle concept.
Preparatory work for the digital twin of the demonstrator vehicles was initiated. Although the dedicated partner joined after an amendment, baseline activities and framework discussions were advanced with technical teams to ensure smooth integration once the modelling work begins.
Finally, planning for prototype assembly and testing was completed. Virtual assembly trials were performed to identify and resolve potential packaging or integration issues before physical builds begin, reducing material waste and saving development time.
The ZEV-UP project is still in its early phase, but the work carried out so far has already produced significant technical and scientific results that set the stage for strong future impacts.
Main results to date:
A clear understanding of user needs and market dynamics, based on surveys and analyses in both advanced and emerging markets.
The definition of 40 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and 34 study questions to measure success, covering environmental, technological, operational, and societal aspects.
A complete set of vehicle and subsystem requirements, derived from benchmarking studies and stakeholder feedback.
The design of a modular vehicle platform that can be adapted into several variants (2-seater, 4-seater, and compact commercial vehicle) with up to 60% common parts, lowering costs and enabling economies of scale.
Early development of battery systems with swappable packs (7–20 kWh) tailored for urban mobility, supported by modular design and off-the-shelf management systems.
Simulation results showing that the air-cooled electric motor can reach 93% peak efficiency, combined with regenerative braking strategies that improve energy use in urban driving.
These results point to strong potential impacts in the coming years. ZEV-UP vehicles are expected to:
Provide affordable and user-friendly electric mobility solutions, making EVs more accessible to wider populations.
Contribute to the EU Green Deal and climate neutrality goals by reducing emissions, with preliminary design strategies supporting a 15–20% lower carbon footprint than comparable vehicles.
Increase sustainability by integrating additive manufacturing for lightweight and customisable parts, enabling localised production and repair.
Enhance urban mobility by offering vehicles with a compact footprint that improves parking utilisation by up to 25%, while maintaining comfort and practicality.
Main results to date:
A clear understanding of user needs and market dynamics, based on surveys and analyses in both advanced and emerging markets.
The definition of 40 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and 34 study questions to measure success, covering environmental, technological, operational, and societal aspects.
A complete set of vehicle and subsystem requirements, derived from benchmarking studies and stakeholder feedback.
The design of a modular vehicle platform that can be adapted into several variants (2-seater, 4-seater, and compact commercial vehicle) with up to 60% common parts, lowering costs and enabling economies of scale.
Early development of battery systems with swappable packs (7–20 kWh) tailored for urban mobility, supported by modular design and off-the-shelf management systems.
Simulation results showing that the air-cooled electric motor can reach 93% peak efficiency, combined with regenerative braking strategies that improve energy use in urban driving.
These results point to strong potential impacts in the coming years. ZEV-UP vehicles are expected to:
Provide affordable and user-friendly electric mobility solutions, making EVs more accessible to wider populations.
Contribute to the EU Green Deal and climate neutrality goals by reducing emissions, with preliminary design strategies supporting a 15–20% lower carbon footprint than comparable vehicles.
Increase sustainability by integrating additive manufacturing for lightweight and customisable parts, enabling localised production and repair.
Enhance urban mobility by offering vehicles with a compact footprint that improves parking utilisation by up to 25%, while maintaining comfort and practicality.