scindu funding
All calls

Fire prevention and mitigation for EVs in confined areas (2ZERO Partnership)

Horizon Europe · Grant topic

HORIZON-CL5-2027-03-D5-06

Summary

A Polish company can use this call for R&D.

Funds companies and researchers developing electric vehicle fire risk assessments, detection, suppression and containment techniques for confined spaces and charging environments.

Who can apply
Companies can lead: SME, large company, startup, research org, university.
Amount
€8M per projectTotal budget €8,000,000
Deadline
14 Apr 2027 02:00 CESTin 172 days
Status
Forthcomingopens 15 Dec 2026
Open on the portalRegister to keep this call

Machine-classified from the call text; check eligibility at the source.

Description

Expected Outcome:

Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

• Standardised fire risk assessment for EVs’[1] fire hazards in constrained spaces and areas such as underground/ built-in parking lots, garages, ferryboats and depots with and without charging facilities and during mono- or bidirectional charging.

• Innovative on-board and/or off-board affordable fire-detection, suppression, and containment measures and techniques.

• Standardised fire protocols and open evaluation frameworks.

• Enhanced public perception of fire safety across all EV categories.

Scope:

The overall fire safety risks associated with Electric Vehicles (EVs) are substantially lower compared to those of Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles. However, public concerns and perceptions about EV fire safety may still persist. This necessitates a thorough examination and addressing of potential causes of EV fire to alleviate any remaining worries. This necessitates a thorough examination and addressing of potential causes of EV fire to alleviate any remaining worries..

Proposed actions are expected to address all of the following aspects:

• Development of the most comprehensive database about fire accidents involving all EV categories at the European level.

• Mitigation measures and solutions in case of thermal runaway of batteries, if not prevented in the first place, by appropriate design or by active measures to effectively avoid open fire and its possible progression.

• A clear recognition of EV risks by improved on-board diagnosis and real-time monitoring, leading to early warning and to appropriate countermeasures.

• Development of innovative and affordable fire detection, prevention and optionally suppression solutions for constrained spaces and areas such as underground/ built-in parking lots, garages, ferryboats and depots with and without charging facilities and during mono- or bidirectional charging. This can include e.g. measures for thermal runaway, fire-resistant systems/materials, easy and safe access to the battery for removal from the vehicle.

• Development of firefighting protocols to deal with EVs on fire in narrow situations, essential for quick and effective intervention, including integration with existing safety standards (e.g., ISO, NFPA) to ensure smooth adoption and compatibility.

• Social awareness for a transparent, informed public perception of the safety level of all EV categories, also with the development of a European based platform for dissemination and information with direct involvement of main stakeholders.

This topic requires the effective contribution of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) disciplines and the involvement of SSH experts, institutions as well as the inclusion of relevant SSH expertise, in order to produce meaningful and significant effects enhancing the societal impact of the related research activities.

This topic implements the co-programmed European Partnership on ‘Towards zero emission road transport’ (2ZERO). As such, projects resulting from this topic will be expected to report on the results to the European Partnership ‘Towards zero emission road transport’ (2ZERO) in support of the monitoring of its KPIs.

The topic is open to international collaboration, and the funded project are expected to seek synergies with the Sustainable Transport Forum[2] and with the EV TCP Task 49[3].

Technology Readiness Level - Technology readiness level expected from completed projects

Activities are expected to achieve TRL 6 by the end of the project – see General Annex B. Activities may start at any TRL.

[1] The focus of this topic is on vehicles in categories, M1, N1 and HDV including L-category vehicles as far as commercially available with 400V-AC or DC charging connectors

[2] In particular on fire safety issues, see e.g. “Guidance of fire safety for electric vehicles parked and charging infrastructure in covered parking spaces”, doi:10.2832/6681178, https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/c2c1f892-f3ef-11ef-b7db-01aa75ed71a1/language-en, last visited 2025-04-30

[3] Electric Vehicle Technology Collaboration Programme, Task 49: EV Fire Safety, https://evtcp.org/task/task-49/, last visited 2025-04-30

Who can apply, in detail
Applicant types
SME, Large company, Startup, Research org, University
Purpose
Research and innovation
R&D relevance
3 of 3
Poland eligible
Yes
Country limit
—
Region
Any
Consortium
Unclear
Readiness level (TRL)
—
Topics
  • Electric vehicle fire safety
  • Confined-space risk assessment
  • Fire detection and suppression
  • Charging safety protocols

Machine-classified from the call text; check eligibility at the source. 23 Oct 2026

Conditions7

Typed facts extracted from the source documents by Scindu's grant-data review. Each value keeps its own conditions. Unknown means unstated, not zero or unlimited.

Applicant type
Unless the call/topic provides otherwise, consortium beneficiaries must include at least three independent legal entities established in different countries: one in an EU Member State and two others in different EU Member States or Associated Countries. No topic-specific consortium-size exception was identified in this reviewed topic section.
Application restriction
The MOBILITY call is scheduled to open 15 December 2026 and close 14 April 2027; the Work Programme states deadlines are 17:00 Brussels local time. This call window is scheduled, not evidence that applications are currently accepted.
Consortium required
Yes
Eligible project scope
EV fire-prevention/mitigation research covers fire accidents across EV categories and constrained settings including garages, underground/built-in parking, ferryboats and depots; SSH expertise and disciplines are expressly required. The footnote specifies M1, N1 and HDV, including commercially available L-category vehicles with 400V AC or DC charging connectors.
Other condition
The call overview indicates around 1 project(s) expected to be funded for this topic. This is a planning estimate, not guaranteed awards or a binding consortium/project-count condition.
Partner requirement
The topic requires effective SSH contribution and involvement of SSH experts/institutions; this is a substantive expertise requirement, not a named-person salary or headcount rule.
Technology readiness level at end, minimum
6 TRL

Expected end-of-project level; activities may start at any TRL. This is the topic expectation, not an applicant past-performance qualification.

Amounts and costs8
Indicative budget
€8,000,000

Topic budget as stated in the portal's budget table. Lump-sum and per-project limits are in the call conditions.

Call allocation
€131,000,000

Overall indicative CL5-2027-03 call-pool budget, not a per-project or per-beneficiary award; subject to availability of EU appropriations.

Eligible cost
If a project uses satellite-based Earth observation, positioning, navigation and/or related timing data/services, beneficiaries must use Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS; other data/services may also be used.
Eligible cost
Personnel may be included as estimated cost categories in the lump-sum proposal budget, not separately reimbursed as actual payroll. Cost estimates must approximate actual costs, follow beneficiaries’ normal practices, be reasonable/non-excessive, align with proposed activities, and satisfy Horizon Europe basic eligibility rules.
Eligible cost
Eligible costs are funded as a lump sum. Under the Lump Sum MGA, contributions are eligible only when amounts are set out in Annex 2, work packages are completed, and work is properly implemented/results achieved in accordance with Annex 1 during the action period. This is payment by completed work package, not actual-cost reimbursement.
Funding intensity, maximum
70 percent_of_eligible_costs

Maximum rate for Innovation Actions is 70% of eligible costs for other entities; General Annex G allows up to 100% for non-profit legal entities. This is an entity-category ceiling, not a promise of a grant amount.

Funding intensity, maximum
100 percent_of_eligible_costs

For non-profit legal entities in this Innovation Action, the funding rate may be up to 100% of eligible costs. The General Annex states this as an exception to the standard 70% Innovation Action rate. This is a legal-entity-specific ceiling, not a grant guarantee.

Expected contribution per project
€8,000,000

Commission estimate of EU contribution per project; not a fixed ceiling or floor, and different requested amounts are not precluded.

Topic allocation
€8,000,000

Indicative topic budget pool. It is distinct from the per-project expected contribution and is not an individual beneficiary award.

Personnel and services2

  • Other role

    Staff cost the grant can fund

  • Topic-level required SSH expertise; this is a capability requirement, not an advertised job.

    Other role · Required staff

    The topic requires an effective SSH contribution and involvement of SSH experts/institutions; the call does not prescribe whether this is provided by employees, partner institutions or another eligible arrangement.

Source documents5
Call facts
Opens
15 Dec 2026
Deadline model
Single-stage
Programme
Horizon Europe · 2021 - 2027
Call
HORIZON-CL5-2027-03 · MOBILITY
Types of action
HORIZON Innovation Actions
Source
ec.europa.eu
Checked
24 Oct 2026
Portal updated
7 Oct 2026
Review status
Partial review
Reviewed
23 Oct 2026

This is a summary of the source page, not the official text. Eligibility, conditions and the submission system are at the source.