FAURECIA SYSTEMES D ECHAPPEMENT SAS

Their core work

Faurecia (now part of FORVIA) is a major French automotive supplier specializing in exhaust systems, clean mobility components, and lightweight materials for vehicles. Within H2020, they focused on hydrogen storage tanks, fuel cell stack components, and advanced battery sensing — all critical technologies for the transition to zero-emission transport. Their work bridges materials engineering (thermoplastic composites, graphene coatings) with system-level integration for electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Faurecia's H2020 trajectory shows a clear shift from conventional powertrain optimization toward hydrogen and electrification. Their earliest project (THOMSON, 2016) dealt with mild hybrid solutions — an incremental improvement to combustion engines. From 2019 onward, they pivoted sharply to hydrogen storage, fuel cell components, and advanced battery monitoring, reflecting their corporate strategy toward zero-emission mobility. The progression from hybrid vehicles to hydrogen tanks to battery sensing shows a company systematically building competence across all clean propulsion technologies.

Faurecia is building a full-spectrum clean mobility portfolio — expect continued investment in hydrogen storage, fuel cell integration, and battery management for next-generation vehicles.

How they like to work

Faurecia operates primarily as a participant (3 of 4 projects), joining established consortia rather than leading them, though they did coordinate THOR — their flagship hydrogen storage project. With 45 unique partners across 9 countries, they maintain a broad European network typical of a large Tier 1 automotive supplier. Their participation pattern suggests they contribute specific industrial expertise (materials, manufacturing scale-up) rather than driving the research agenda.

Faurecia has collaborated with 45 unique partners across 9 countries, building a wide European network concentrated in the clean transport and energy sectors. Their partner diversity suggests connections spanning research institutions, material suppliers, and automotive OEMs.

What sets them apart

Faurecia brings something rare to EU consortia: the ability to take laboratory-scale clean mobility technologies and integrate them into real automotive supply chains at production scale. As a global Tier 1 supplier, they offer a direct pathway from research prototype to mass manufacturing — a critical gap most academic or SME partners cannot fill. Their combined expertise in composite materials, hydrogen storage, and fuel cell components makes them a one-stop industrial partner for clean vehicle projects.

Highlights from their portfolio

• THOR
  Their only coordinated project and largest funding (EUR 427,694), focused on recyclable thermoplastic hydrogen tanks — directly aligned with Europe's hydrogen strategy.
• DOLPHIN
  Addresses disruptive fuel cell stack design with advanced materials (graphene coatings, carbon bipolar plates), positioning Faurecia in next-generation PEMFC technology.
• INSTABAT
  Extends Faurecia's reach into battery intelligence with innovative sensing approaches (fiber Bragg grating, photo-acoustic), complementing their hydrogen expertise with battery know-how.