Silver Stream · Project

Affordable Light Electric Vehicles Designed for Elderly Drivers in Congested Cities

transportTestedTRL 5

Europe's cities are getting more crowded and its population is getting older — so imagine a tiny, quiet electric car built specifically for seniors who still want to get around town independently. The Silver Stream team designed everything from the steering to the dashboard to be easy on aging bodies and minds, including health monitoring built right into the seat. They packed clever tech inside — compact motors in each wheel, a hybrid battery system that lasts longer, and a 12/48 volt electrical setup that keeps it affordable. The result is a working prototype of an L-category vehicle (think somewhere between an e-scooter and a small car) tested in real driving conditions.

By the numbers

consortium partners covering the full value chain

European countries represented in the consortium

73%

industry ratio among partners

12/48 V

dual voltage power network for modular architecture

total project deliverables completed

The business problem

What needed solving

Europe's urban population is aging rapidly, and current vehicles are either too large and expensive for city driving or too basic to be safe and comfortable for elderly users. Seniors face physical fatigue, reduced mobility, and cognitive challenges that standard cars ignore. Cities meanwhile struggle with congestion, noise, and air quality — demanding cleaner, smaller vehicles that today's market barely offers in the L-category segment.

The solution

What was built

The project delivered a working vehicle prototype of an L-category light electric vehicle with compact in-wheel drive units, a hybrid energy storage system, a dual 12/48 V modular electrical architecture, health monitoring sensors, and an adaptive human-machine interface designed for elderly drivers. A total of 7 deliverables were completed across the project's 3-year run.

Audience

Who needs this

L-category and micro-EV manufacturers looking for a tested vehicle architectureAutomotive Tier-1 suppliers developing in-wheel motors or 48V power electronicsShared mobility operators targeting elderly or accessibility-focused fleetsAssisted-living and elder care providers seeking independent mobility solutionsCity transport authorities planning low-emission urban mobility programs

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Light Electric Vehicle Manufacturing

mid-size

Target: OEMs and startups building L-category or micro-mobility vehicles

If you are an EV manufacturer struggling to design affordable urban vehicles for aging customers — this project developed a complete L-category vehicle architecture with in-wheel drive units and a dual 12/48 V power network. The modular, scalable electrical design means you can adapt it across vehicle sizes without redesigning from scratch. The consortium of 11 partners across 6 countries already validated the concept with a working prototype.

Automotive Components & Semiconductors

enterprise

Target: Tier-1 and Tier-2 automotive suppliers producing power electronics or drive systems

If you are a component supplier looking for the next growth segment in electrification — this project produced compact in-wheel drive units and a hybrid energy storage system specifically sized for light urban vehicles. Led by Infineon Technologies, the architecture uses a dual 12/48 V setup that reduces component cost compared to high-voltage EV platforms. With 8 industry partners already involved, the supply chain groundwork is laid.

Urban Mobility & Elderly Care Services

any

Target: Shared mobility operators or assisted-living providers serving senior populations

If you are a mobility service provider dealing with an aging customer base that cannot safely use conventional cars or public transport — this project built a vehicle concept with adaptive human-machine interfaces, health monitoring, and ergonomics designed by medical and cognitive science experts. The prototype targets minimum-fatigue vehicle operation, meaning seniors can drive longer and safer in city traffic.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to license or adopt this technology?

The project data does not include specific licensing costs or per-unit pricing. The dual 12/48 V architecture was designed to keep costs lower than high-voltage EV platforms, and the L-category classification means lighter regulatory requirements. Interested companies should contact the coordinator for licensing terms.

Can these technologies scale to industrial production volumes?

The modular and scalable electrical architecture (dual 12/48 V) was explicitly designed for adaptation across different vehicle sizes and production scales. With 8 industry partners including Infineon Technologies as coordinator, the consortium covered the whole value chain from components to vehicle integration. However, the project delivered a prototype — scaling to mass production would require further industrialization investment.

Who owns the intellectual property from this project?

As an EU-funded RIA project with 11 partners across 6 countries, IP ownership typically follows the Horizon 2020 grant agreement — each partner owns the IP they generated. Infineon Technologies AG coordinated the project and would be the primary contact for licensing discussions around the power electronics and electrical architecture.

How does the health monitoring system work in the vehicle?

Based on available project data, the vehicle includes health monitoring and an adaptive human-machine interface designed by medical and cognitive science experts. The system targets minimum-fatigue vehicle operation for elderly drivers. Specific sensor details and clinical validation data would need to be requested from the consortium.

What regulations apply to L-category vehicles in Europe?

L-category vehicles fall under EU Regulation 168/2013, which covers two- and three-wheel vehicles and quadricycles. This category has lighter type-approval requirements than full passenger cars, which significantly reduces time-to-market and compliance costs. The SilverStream design was built from the ground up for this classification.

Is the technology ready for deployment today?

The project completed in May 2018 and delivered a vehicle prototype that was assembled and entered a test program. The objective stated demonstration in a realistic test environment. However, the project ended at prototype-testing stage — commercial deployment would require further development, certification, and manufacturing setup.

Consortium

Who built it

The Silver Stream consortium is unusually industry-heavy at 73% — 8 out of 11 partners are from industry, with only 1 university and 2 research institutes. This signals a project built for commercialization, not just academic exploration. Infineon Technologies AG, a global semiconductor leader based in Germany, coordinated the effort, lending serious credibility to the power electronics and electrical architecture. The 6-country spread (Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Slovenia, UK) covers key European automotive markets. Two SMEs participated, likely contributing specialized components or niche manufacturing capabilities. For a business partner, this consortium composition means the technology was developed with real manufacturing constraints and market requirements in mind, not just in a university lab.

INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AGCoordinator · DE
INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRIA AGparticipant · AT
IDEAS & MOTION SRLparticipant · IT
ELAPHE POGONSKE TEHNOLOGIJE DOOparticipant · SI
JAC ITALY DESIGN CENTER SRLparticipant · IT
FONDAZIONE CENTRO SAN RAFFAELEparticipant · IT
OSPEDALE SAN RAFFAELE SRLthirdparty · IT
M.T.M. SRLparticipant · IT
UNIVERSITY OF SURREYparticipant · UK

How to reach the team

Infineon Technologies AG (Germany) coordinated this project. SciTransfer can facilitate a direct introduction to the project team.

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

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing the in-wheel drive technology or the dual-voltage architecture for your vehicle platform? SciTransfer can connect you directly with the Silver Stream team and provide a detailed technology brief. Contact us to start the conversation.

Order a report on this topic More in Transport & Mobility