EVSAFE SRL

Their core work

EVSAFE SRL is an Italian SME based in Perugia working on the technical and materials side of electric vehicle development. Their project history shows two distinct but complementary contributions: electric drivetrain engineering (specifically motors that avoid rare earth materials) and lightweight structural components designed according to eco-design and cradle-to-cradle principles. They operate as a specialist industrial partner — bringing hands-on manufacturing and component knowledge into research consortia rather than leading them. Their work sits at the intersection of EV performance, cost reduction, and end-of-life material recovery.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their first project (2017–2021), EVSAFE focused on drivetrain engineering — specifically solving the rare earth supply-chain problem in electric motors, which is a performance and cost engineering challenge. By their second project (2021–2024), the focus had broadened to lightweight structural materials and the end-of-life circularity of those materials. This is a meaningful shift: from "how do we build better EV motors" toward "how do we design the whole vehicle for sustainability and recyclability." The trend points toward a company positioning itself in the green manufacturing and circular economy space within the EV sector, not just component performance.

EVSAFE is moving from drivetrain component engineering toward sustainable materials and circular design for EVs — making them an increasingly relevant partner for green automotive and battery-to-materials recovery projects.

How they like to work

EVSAFE has participated exclusively as a consortium partner, never as coordinator — they are a specialist contributor that joins research projects to provide industrial or engineering expertise rather than to lead them. With 27 unique partners across just two projects, they have worked in medium-to-large consortia (roughly 13 partners per project on average), suggesting they are comfortable in complex multi-partner environments. This profile is typical of an SME that brings specific technical capability — component manufacturing, materials testing, or validation — to a broader research effort led by universities or larger industry players.

EVSAFE has built a network of 27 partners across 9 countries through two projects — a broad reach for a two-project portfolio that suggests active integration into European automotive research consortia. No single-country concentration is evident, indicating genuine pan-European collaboration experience.

What sets them apart

EVSAFE occupies an unusual niche for a small Italian SME: they combine drivetrain engineering know-how with lightweight materials expertise and circular economy design, all within the EV sector. Most companies in this space specialize in one layer — either motors, or materials, or sustainability frameworks — but EVSAFE's project history shows involvement across all three. For a consortium builder, they represent an industrial partner who can bridge the gap between component performance and end-of-life material recovery, which is increasingly required by EU Green Deal-aligned transport projects.

Highlights from their portfolio

• ReFreeDrive
  The largest project in their portfolio (€705,625) and an early entry into the rare earth-free motor challenge — a strategically significant problem given Europe's dependency on Chinese rare earth supply chains.
• LEVIS
  Demonstrates EVSAFE's pivot toward circular economy principles and lightweight materials, reflecting alignment with EU taxonomy and Green Deal manufacturing requirements through 2024.