Multi-Moby · Project

Affordable Low-Voltage Electric Vans Built in Micro-Factories for Urban Delivery and Passenger Use

transportPilotedTRL 7

Imagine electric city vans that run on the same kind of safe, low voltage you find in a workshop — 48V or 100V instead of the dangerous 400V+ in most EVs today. That makes them cheaper to build, easier to charge, and safer for mechanics to maintain. The team actually built a fleet of these vehicles, tested them for road approval, and designed a small-scale factory concept so you don't need a billion-euro plant to start manufacturing. Think of it as the IKEA approach to electric vehicles — modular, affordable, and ready to scale without massive upfront investment.

By the numbers

48V and 100V

Low-voltage powertrain options developed (vs. industry standard 400V+)

200Wh/kg

Battery pack specific energy at pack level

9 partners

Consortium size across 7 countries

78%

Industry partner ratio in consortium

Motorized axle configurations installed and tested on vehicles

The business problem

What needed solving

Urban electric vehicles today are expensive — partly because high-voltage architectures (400V+) require costly power electronics, specialized manufacturing, and expensive charging infrastructure. Small fleet operators and regional manufacturers are priced out. Meanwhile, European cities are rapidly expanding emission-free zones, creating urgent demand for affordable electric vans and passenger vehicles that can be produced without billion-euro factory investments.

The solution

What was built

A fleet of electric vehicles — both multi-passenger (M1) and commercial vans (N1) — running on 48V and 100V powertrains with SiC/GaN semiconductors, 200Wh/kg battery packs, standardized low-voltage DC charging systems, autonomous driving features, and a micro-factory manufacturing concept. Deliverables confirmed homologation testing, demonstrated high-efficiency charging, and installed three motorized axle configurations on actual vehicles.

Audience

Who needs this

Urban delivery fleet operators facing emission zone restrictionsRegional vehicle manufacturers looking for low-investment EV productionShared mobility operators needing affordable multi-passenger EVsEV charging infrastructure companies targeting the low-voltage segmentAutomotive Tier-2 suppliers wanting to enter the EV powertrain market

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Last-mile delivery and urban logistics

SME

Target: Fleet operators and courier companies running urban delivery routes

If you are a delivery fleet operator dealing with rising fuel costs and urban emission zones banning diesel vans — this project developed a low-voltage electric commercial van (N1 category) with 200Wh/kg battery packs and a standardized DC charging system at 48V and 100V. The micro-factory manufacturing concept means smaller companies can produce these vehicles locally without massive capital investment, potentially cutting vehicle acquisition costs compared to premium EVs.

Automotive component manufacturing

mid-size

Target: Tier-2 suppliers of EV powertrains, chargers, and battery packs

If you are an automotive component supplier looking to enter the EV market without competing head-to-head with Tesla or VW — this project validated 48V and 100V powertrain architectures using advanced SiC and GaN semiconductor technologies. The on-board charger integrating a DC-to-DC12V converter and standardized low-cost charging infrastructure opens a market segment where your existing manufacturing capabilities could be directly applicable.

Urban mobility and shared transport

any

Target: Municipalities and shared mobility operators needing affordable multi-passenger EVs

If you are a city transport authority or shared mobility operator struggling with the high cost of electrifying your urban fleet — this project built M1 category multi-passenger electric vehicles with autonomous driving capabilities, including low-cost scanning and night vision. The vehicles were designed for homologation compliance and tested with motorized axle configurations, meaning they are road-legal ready rather than concept vehicles.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

How much would these vehicles cost compared to current EVs on the market?

The project explicitly targets competitive price positioning against existing and forthcoming electric urban vehicles. The low-voltage architecture (48V/100V) reduces the cost of power electronics, and the micro-factory concept cuts manufacturing investment. However, specific per-unit pricing data is not available in the project documentation.

Can this be manufactured at industrial scale?

Yes — the project specifically developed a low-cost, flexible, agile and lean manufacturing approach through a micro-factory concept designed for low investment. This means production can start at smaller volumes without requiring traditional large-scale automotive plants, making it accessible for regional manufacturers.

What is the intellectual property situation and can I license this technology?

The consortium is led by Infineon Technologies Austria, a major semiconductor company, with 9 partners across 7 countries. IP from an EU Innovation Action is typically owned by the partner who generated it. Licensing discussions would need to go through the relevant consortium partners, particularly Infineon for power semiconductor technologies.

Is the vehicle actually road-legal in Europe?

The project included specific work on design and testing for homologation under M1 (passenger) and N1 (commercial) vehicle categories. A dedicated deliverable addressed regulations and tests required for road approval, indicating the vehicles were designed to meet European type-approval standards.

What charging infrastructure does this require?

The project developed standardized infrastructure solutions for low-voltage DC charging at 48V and 100V. A dedicated deliverable demonstrated high-efficiency charging systems at low voltage. This means the vehicles use simpler, cheaper charging equipment than high-voltage EVs — potentially a major cost advantage for fleet operators.

When could this technology reach the market?

The project ran from December 2020 to November 2023 and is now closed. As an Innovation Action with demonstrated vehicle prototypes, homologation testing, and installed motorized axles, the technology is at an advanced stage. Market deployment would depend on a manufacturing partner adopting the micro-factory concept.

Does the vehicle have autonomous driving features?

Yes — the project integrated autonomous capabilities using established sensing and computational platforms, with added low-cost scanning and night vision functionalities. Based on available project data, these were demonstrated on the vehicle fleet but specific autonomy levels (SAE levels) are not detailed in the objective.

Consortium

Who built it

The Multi-Moby consortium is heavily industry-driven at 78% (7 out of 9 partners), led by Infineon Technologies Austria — one of Europe's largest semiconductor manufacturers. This is not an academic exercise; it is an industrial development project. The consortium spans 7 countries (AT, BE, ES, FR, IL, IT, UK) with 3 SMEs involved, suggesting a deliberate mix of large-scale component expertise and agile smaller companies. The presence of Infineon as coordinator signals serious commercial intent around power semiconductor technologies (SiC, GaN), while the single university and single research partner provide targeted technical support rather than dominating the project direction.

INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRIA AGCoordinator · AT
NANOMOTION LTDparticipant · IL
INTERACTIVE FULLY ELECTRICAL VEHICLES SRLparticipant · IT
FUNDACION CIDAUTparticipant · ES
DANA TM4 ITALIAparticipant · IT
VALEO ELECTRIFICATION SASparticipant · FR
BITRON SPAparticipant · IT
UNIVERSITY OF SURREYparticipant · UK

How to reach the team

Infineon Technologies Austria AG — contact through SciTransfer for a facilitated introduction to the project team.

Order a report on this consortium See INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRIA AG profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing the low-voltage EV powertrain technology or the micro-factory manufacturing concept? SciTransfer can connect you directly with the right consortium partner for your specific need.

Order a report on this topic More in Transport & Mobility