ASPIRE

Europe’s net-zero manufacturing base produced ~€80bn in revenue in 2023 and supports ~600k factory jobs; NZIA targets EU capacity that meets a large share of demand by 2030. The ASPIRE project addresses Annex I “Batteries & Energy Storage” by advancing large-scale additive manufacturing for EV battery packs (BP) while strengthening the EU’s clean technology value chains. Building on partner AIRY’s FIBER DRIVE technology, the project achieves TRL 7 through the demonstration of full-scale, lightweight, scalable battery packs manufactured in continuous-fibre thermoplastic composites. ASPIRE reduces structural mass by 50% and cuts cost by 40%, while integrated digital twins, predictive 3D fibre-matrix models, inline quality control, and scalable component libraries enable first-time-right production and rapid reconfigurability across multiple OEM platforms. By reducing part complexity by 60% and embedding design-for-disassembly principles, ASPIRE improves repairability and reuse, where end-of-life materials will be valorised into new feedstocks, closing the loop on thermoplastic composites. This directly addresses NZI targets on strategic autonomy and circularity. Printed packs validated by Volvo (trucks) and Stellantis (light-duty vehicles), a 3-level testing campaign, a blueprint for semi-automated pilot lines, and a robust LCA/LCC evidence will result in measurable, industry-relevant outputs. The project results are estimated to lead to reductions in CO2 of >1.333 billion kg at scale, in CAPEX of >30%, and design to production from 2 years to just 3 months. The ASPIRE process and outputs demonstrate a replicable route to EU manufacturing capacity growth across NZIA technologies.