The University of Michigan’s Electric Vehicle Center has partnered with the Michigan Translational Research and Commercialization Advanced Transportation Innovation Hub to provide an additional $1 million in funding for the 2025 MTRAC Transportation cycle.
This funding supports researchers from across Michigan, driving translational research projects with high commercial potential and advancing innovation in mobility and transportation.
“The EV Center’s partnership with MTRAC creates a powerful pathway to accelerate electric vehicle innovations from the lab to the marketplace,” said Alan Taub, director of the EVC. “By leveraging MTRAC’s established commercialization framework and adding dedicated funding for EV technologies, we can help Michigan researchers bridge the gap between promising research discoveries and real-world implementation.
“This collaboration aligns perfectly with our mission to accelerate the EV transition and reinforces Michigan’s leadership position in defining the future of mobility.”
The MTRAC Advanced Transportation Innovation Hub is managed by Innovation Partnerships, the nexus of research commercialization at U-M. MTRAC is a statewide program supporting translational research projects that have high commercial potential, with the ultimate goal of launching new technologies into the mobility and transportation sectors.
The MTRAC Transportation program is supported with funding from the Michigan Strategic Fund and administration by the Michigan Economic Development Corp.
Faculty from all schools, colleges and units at U-M, as well as other public institutions of higher education across Michigan, are eligible to apply. Awardees will benefit from MTRAC’s robust support network and resources to help advance their projects.
“We are proud to collaborate with the EV Center on the MTRAC Advanced Transportation program,” said Kelly Sexton, associate vice president for research – innovation partnerships and economic impact. “MTRAC is an essential part of Michigan’s research commercialization ecosystem, and the additional funding will undeniably accelerate groundbreaking mobility innovations.
“This will enable more projects that strengthen Michigan’s position as a global leader in advanced transportation technologies and drive economic growth in this critical sector.”
The funding focus areas include:
- Batteries.
- Electric machines and drives.
- Thermal management.
- Vehicle/component end-of-life.
- Lightweighting.
- Raw materials and supply chain.
- Electric infrastructure and charging equipment.
- Data collection, modeling, and analysis.
Two levels of funding are available, including Kickstart Awards of up to $50,000 and Mid-Stage Awards between $50,000-$200,000. The deadline to submit proposals is Feb. 28.
In addition to matching funds, awardees will benefit from access to the MTRAC program’s extensive support network and resources, driving innovation and commercialization in Michigan’s mobility ecosystem.
