JRC evaluates electric cars projects
The Joint Research Centre (JRC) has concluded that an ‘increased exchange of information’ and better ‘co-ordination between projects’ would lead to more effective investment in electric vehicle technology.
The JRC drew this conclusion after collecting information on more than 320 research, development and demonstration (R,D&D) projects on electric cars, with a total budget of €1.9bn (65% of which came from public funding), to assess the potential gaps in the European R,D&D landscape. The evaluation will feed into the ‘European Electromobility Observatory’, which was launched by the European Commission early this year.
Electrified vehicles will be a key technology for future urban commuting, improving urban air quality and reducing dependence on oil and other fossil fuels. Electro-mobility is part of the alternative fuels mix promoted in the ‘Clean Power for Transport’ legislative package launched by the Commission in January 2013. Green transport will also receive significant funding under Horizon 2020.
The JRC report ‘Paving the way to electrified road transport – publicly funded research, development, and demonstration projects on electric and plug-in cars in Europe’ records projects covering the period 2007-2015 which received EU or national public funding, and with a total budget of more than €1m.
The JRC will support the work of Horizon 2020 in its key policy areas, most notably energy; transport, environment and climate change; agriculture and food security; health and consumer protection; and ICT. The Centre will also focus on Horizon 2020’s Societal Challenges as well as provide ‘independent and sound scientific input’ to the policy making process.
You can read the report here.
