DRIVE35 automotive funding

Funding for the UK automotive industry in the design, development and manufacturing of zero-emission vehicles and their supply chain.

DRIVE35 (Driving Research & Investment in Vehicle Electrification) is a new £2.5 billion programme of capital and R&D funding, announced as part of the government’s Industrial Strategy and Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan. It's led and delivered by the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) in partnership with the Advanced Propulsion Centre and Innovate UK.

DRIVE35 has funding available for UK-registered businesses of all sizes, including collaborations. It will support projects which help the UK automotive sector’s transition to zero emission vehicle manufacturing. This includes enabling the latest research and development, accelerating commercial scale-up, and unlocking capital investment.

There is support on offer for a wide spectrum of technology readiness levels (TRLs) between TRL 3 to TRL 9.

A total of £2 billion of capital and R&D funding is available to 2030, with an additional £500 million of R&D funding over a further five years, to 2035.

DRIVE35 is composed of three funding pillars, each with individual competition streams, and varying funding amounts available for applicants.

Transformation funding

This stream aims to drive capital investment in an internationally competitive ZEV supply chain and upgrading or establishing new plants, securing future zero-emission vehicle assembly in the UK.

The DRIVE35 Automotive Transformation Fund is open to applications, with initial Expression of Interest (EoI) forms assessed on a two-monthly rolling basis.

Find out more about the Transformation strand and how to apply.

Scale-Up funding

This stream aims to accelerate manufacturing by catalysing investment in advanced technologies for ZEVs, scaling-up sustainable production processes.

The DRIVE35 Scale-Up Feasibility Studies competition is open to applications, closing at 11am on Wednesday 3 September 2025.

The DRIVE35 Scale-Up Fund is not yet open to applications. Further details will be coming soon.

Find out more about the Scale-Up strand and how to apply.

Innovation funding

This stream will fund product and process innovation of strategic and disruptive technologies for ZEVs, including digital tools and AI-driven processes.

You can apply now for the Collaborate and Demonstrate parts of this stream, with applications closing at 11am on Wednesday 1 October 2025.

The Mobilise part of this stream is not yet open to applications. Further details will be coming soon.

Find out more about the innovation strand and how to apply.

First published 17 July 2025