The European Green Cars Initiative provides financial support to research into the green technologies that will propel our cars, trucks and buses in the near future. It is expected to have long-term effects, ensuring that our transport systems are both competitive, and environmentally friendly, in the aftermath of the 2008 economic crisis.

How much?

• €1 billion in grants from the EU’s Seventh Research Framework Programme (FP7)
• €4 billion in loans from the European Investment Bank
• demand-side measures, involving regulatory action by Member States and the EU, such as the reduction of car registration taxes on low CO2 cars to stimulate car purchase by citizens

What for?

Despite its name, the Green Cars Initiative is not only for passenger cars. Research is funded in a variety of areas:

• Electric and hybrid vehicles
  High-energy density batteries, advanced electric components and powertrain architectures, specialised internal combustion engines to extend the driving range and innovative vehicles to exploit these advances fully. A major roll-out of electric vehicles also requires research into smart electricity grids and intelligent vehicle charging systems.
• Logistics
  Improving logistics, exploiting new transport modalities and improving the efficiency of transport networks.
• Internal combustion engine
  Improving the fuel efficiency of internal combustion engines in lorries.
• Biofuels
  Developing biomethane as a second-generation biofuel for buses and waste trucks.
• Hydrogen fuel cells
  Mainly performed through the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell joint technology initiative.