Reliable & Extended Lifetime for Circular and Modular Battery Electric Vehicles

Road transport is central to EU society but remains a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and raw material dependency. To meet the EU Green Deal’s 2030 and 2050 climate targets, Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) must become more durable, affordable, and resource-efficient. Today, their widespread uptake is hindered by high upfront costs, uncertainties on long-term reliability, and reliance on critical raw materials (CRMs) such as lithium, cobalt, and rare earths. EU automotive competitiveness is also challenged by global rivals with lower production costs and vertically integrated supply chains.
With 10 partners across 6 EU countries, RELiVE addresses these challenges by developing a modular, circular, and intelligent ePowertrain platform that extends BEV lifetime by at least 50% compared to the state of the art. Its innovations combine advanced eDrive and battery pack technologies, predictive real-time health monitoring, and digital product passports to ensure full traceability, repairability, and reuse with a user-centric approach. Two complementary BEV powertrain concepts will be demonstrated at TRL6: LONGLIFE, targeting intensive-use applications such as taxis, fleets, and mobility services, validating a powertrain with an extended lifetime, and SECONDLIFE, built on remanufactured components to provide cost-effective BEVs accessible to a wider range of users. Both will integrate smart control algorithms and health assessment for predictive maintenance and lifetime extension, reducing Total Cost of Ownership/km by 27% and material use by over 20%.
By embedding circular economy strategies, reducing CRM dependency, and enabling new maintenance service-based business models, RELiVE will strengthen EU’s industrial sovereignty and competitiveness. The project contributes directly to the 2ZERO Partnership by delivering sustainable, affordable, and long-lasting BEVs, thus advancing the EU’s transition toward clean, inclusive, and resource-resilient mobility.