Open
OVIN — Electric Vehicle (EV) — Stream 1
EV technology development and validation support
Record updated
- Funding available
- $ 100,000
- Up to 33% of project cost
- Deadline
- Open continuously
- Location
- Ontario, Canada
- Who can apply
- Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with fewer than 500 global, full-time employees
- See full eligibility
Overview
The R&D Partnership Fund – Electric Vehicle (EV) Stream 1 supports Small and Medium Enterprises with up to $100,000 for electric vehicle and battery technology projects in Ontario. It helps fund technology validation, testing, piloting, and demonstration, including commercialization and deployment activities.
At a glance
Funding available
- Maximum funding
- $100,000
- Maximum share of project costs
- 33%
- Develop a new product or service
- Conduct research and development activities
- Reduce environmental footprint
- Access new markets
- Launch or market a product/service
Eligible candidates
- Location
- Ontario
- Eligible Industries
- All industries
- Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
- Organisation size
- 500 employees maximum
- Audience
- Canadians
- Startups
- Legal structures
- Non-profit, Public or Parapublic institution, For-profit business
Non-profit candidates
- Sector of operation
- Research, Environment, Economic, Social and Community Development, Business Associations
- Target groups
- Indigenous peoples, Business owners / entrepreneurs, Nonprofits / charities, Academia / students, Community leaders
- Scope
- Provincial
Start applying for this program
Take a practical assessment to gain a clear understanding of how well this program aligns with your specific needs and long-term goals.
Availability timeline
2026
Periods: 1
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with fewer than 500 global, full-time employees
Eligible expenses
- Actual costs directly attributable and necessary for the completion of the project, and one-time costs directly attributable to implementation of the project; all procurement activities must conform to the Broader Public Sector Accountability Act (BPSAA).
- Travel expenses that are explicitly project-related and represent the most economical option; travel outside Ontario requires pre-approval from OCI.
- Incremental salary and benefits for company employees working exclusively on eligible project activities.
- Sub-contractor and consultant fees approved by OCI management; research and development costs directly related to the project; project-related computer hardware and software; cost of usage of equipment; direct materials; materials used for prototypes, configuring, testing production processes, systems, and training employees; training and development in novel techniques; moving or upgrading project-related equipment; capital lease of equipment; project-related leasehold improvement costs; sales and marketing costs; training costs; regulatory compliance costs; professional services; and premises costs including rent, lease, and utilities.
- Cost of utilization or depreciation of capital items specifically required for the delivery of the eligible project.
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- Institutional overhead.
- Costs related to proposal development, including staff.
- Travel items that are not eligible: meals and incidentals, airfare purchased with personal frequent flyer points, commuting costs between residence and place of employment, and passport and immigration fees.
- Costs not directly associated with meeting the deliverables and milestones in the OCI funding agreement, expenses of a personal nature, ongoing production costs, interest on capital leases, general working capital, staff awards and recognition, bonuses, dividends, cash incentives, merger and acquisition costs, monthly parking fees, meals and entertainment, gifts, alcoholic beverages, lobbying or government relations, tax expenses, interest on invested capital or loans, infrastructure costs except IT related, and tangible capital costs such as land, buildings, and vehicles.
- Costs incurred outside Ontario unless otherwise approved by OCI.
Activities funded
- Development and demonstration of technologies in connected and autonomous vehicles, electric vehicles, advanced charging and vehicle-to-grid technologies, and semiconductors and hardware.
- Technology product and service validation, testing, piloting, commercialization, and deployment.
- Technology proof-of-concept development.
- Demonstration of actual products or services that can be showcased in Ontario at events, on the road, to OCI and its partners, and/or at customer sites.
How to apply
- Complete the client intake form to begin the EOI submission process.
- An OCI Business Development Manager will contact you to discuss the opportunity and assist you with developing your Full Application.
- Develop and submit your Full Application using OCI's AccessOCI web portal.
- Submit the Full Application for internal and external review.
- Your BDM must endorse the application for eligibility and suitability before submission.
- Include a signed Letter of Support from contributing Partner organizations with the application.
Documents Needed
- Client intake form
- Signed Letter of Support from contributing Partner organizations
Selection criteria
- The program is discretionary and non-entitlement, and not all eligible applications can be funded.
- Projects are assessed on merit against program objectives and evaluation criteria, with preference for projects with the greatest economic benefits and contribution to transportation advancements in Ontario, including potential social and environmental benefits.
- Clarity of the challenge, significance of the market opportunity, and expected economic benefit to the companies and Ontario.
- Technical merit, novelty, and the ability of the innovation to address the identified challenge and market opportunity.
- Expertise and experience of the team, evidence of collaboration, scalable outcomes, strong commercial pull, competitive advantage, clarity and feasibility of the project plan and budget, capacity to bring results to market, and overall quality and completeness of the application.
Processing and Agreement
- Full Applications are reviewed internally for eligibility, completeness, and financial compliance before evaluation by independent external reviewers with domain and sector expertise.
- ERP makes funding recommendations to OCI's Internal Review Panel, and the Internal Review Panel makes the final decision.
- Successful applicants are notified by OCI and provided with an outline of conditions and additional information necessary to activate the project; unsuccessful applicants are notified and may receive feedback from their BDM.
- The Applicant, Primary Partner, and Secondary Partners must execute the OCI Funding Agreement within 30 days of the announcement of award.
- Quarterly reports, the final report, annual metrics surveys when the project crosses OCI's fiscal year end, and retrospective surveys at one, two, and three years after project completion are required for reimbursement and program reporting; at project completion, recipients must demonstrate their product or service developed or advanced through Ontario's support, and public communications about the project, OVIN, or Ontario funding require OCI review and approval before release.
Additional information
- Applicants should start negotiations with their project Partner(s) regarding intellectual property before submitting the application.
Official sources
Program guide
OVIN Research and Development (R&D) Partnership Fund - Stream 1 (2025)OVIN Research and Development (R&D) Partnership Fund - Stream 1 (2026)
Frequently Asked Questions about the OVIN — Electric Vehicle (EV) — Stream 1 Program
What is the OVIN — Electric Vehicle (EV) — Stream 1?
The R&D Partnership Fund – Electric Vehicle (EV) Stream 1 supports Small and Medium Enterprises with up to $100,000 for electric vehicle and battery technology projects in Ontario. It helps fund technology validation, testing, piloting, and demonstration, including commercialization and deployment activities.
How much funding can be received?
OVIN — Electric Vehicle (EV) — Stream 1 Funds up to 33% of admissible expenses, capped at $100,000 per project.
What is the deadline to apply?
The program is accepting continuous intake
Who is eligible for the OVIN — Electric Vehicle (EV) — Stream 1 program?
To be eligible for the OVIN — Electric Vehicle (EV) — Stream 1 program, you must:
Applicants must be Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with fewer than 500 global, full-time employees.
Applicants must have operations in Ontario and carry out their project in Ontario.
What expenses are eligible under OVIN — Electric Vehicle (EV) — Stream 1?
Actual costs directly attributable and necessary for the completion of the project, and one-time costs directly attributable to implementation of the project; all procurement activities must conform to the Broader Public Sector Accountability Act (BPSAA).
Travel expenses that are explicitly project-related and represent the most economical option; travel outside Ontario requires pre-approval from OCI.
Incremental salary and benefits for company employees working exclusively on eligible project activities.
Sub-contractor and consultant fees approved by OCI management; research and development costs directly related to the project; project-related computer hardware and software; cost of usage of equipment; direct materials; materials used for prototypes, configuring, testing production processes, systems, and training employees; training and development in novel techniques; moving or upgrading project-related equipment; capital lease of equipment; project-related leasehold improvement costs; sales and marketing costs; training costs; regulatory compliance costs; professional services; and premises costs including rent, lease, and utilities.
Cost of utilization or depreciation of capital items specifically required for the delivery of the eligible project.
Who can I contact for more information about the OVIN — Electric Vehicle (EV) — Stream 1?
You can contact Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN).
Where is the OVIN — Electric Vehicle (EV) — Stream 1 available?
The OVIN — Electric Vehicle (EV) — Stream 1 program is available the province of Ontario.