The Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC) collaborates with the UK Government, the automotive industry, and academia to facilitate driving research and investment in zero-emission vehicle manufacturing. Established in 2013 and jointly funded by the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST) and the automotive industry, the APC accelerates the development and industrialisation of technologies that enable the transition to zero-emission vehicle manufacturing and a net-zero automotive supply chain in the UK.
Launched in July 2025 and delivered by BIST in partnership with the APC and Innovate UK, the DRIVE35 (Driving Research & Investment in Vehicle Electrification) programme forms a core part of the UK Government’s Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan. It underpins the UK’s commitment to a zero-emission future, backed by £4 billion in grant funding to 2035 for automotive R&D, scale-up, and transformation.
Focus across three funding pillars – Innovation, Scale-up, and Transformation – is helping to build a globally competitive zero-emission vehicle supply chain and deliver safer, smarter, more sustainable, and affordable mobility.
Innovation
Supporting product and process innovation in strategic and disruptive zero-emission vehicle technologies, including digital tools, Software Defined Vehicles, and AI-driven processes.
Scale-up
Accelerating manufacturing by catalysing investment in advanced technologies for zero-emission vehicles, scaling up sustainable production processes.
Through the Innovation and Scale-up funding pillars of DRIVE35, APC currently supports a portfolio of 127 zero-emission projects involving 184 partners. This portfolio represents over £220 million of funding. Collectively, these projects are projected to avoid more than 4.2 million tonnes of CO₂e, while strengthening the UK’s long-term automotive capability through collaboration, knowledge sharing and innovation.
Transformation
Driving capital investment to strengthen an internationally competitive EV supply chain, including upgrading existing plants and establishing new facilities to secure future zero-emission vehicle assembly in the UK.
For more information visit apcuk.co.uk or follow ‘Advanced Propulsion Centre UK’ on LinkedIn.
