Transportation accounts for a quarter of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions, of which approximately 86% comes from ground vehicles. As the transportation industry undergoes major changes to reduce the environmental footprint of vehicles, the Government of Canada has committed to net‑zero emissions by 2050 and has set federal targets of zero emission vehicles reaching 100% of light‑duty vehicles sales by 2040.
In the context of a global transition to low‑carbon modes of transportation, industry needs to adopt new technologies to comply with strict government standards and increased consumer demand for more environmentally responsible vehicles.
The NRC's Clean and Energy‑efficient Transportation program can help you develop the technologies you need to be a leader in the growing supply chains associated with low‑carbon mobility and sustainable transportation.
The program's extensive service offering can assist the entire ground transportation supply chain. Through the NRC's Canada‑wide network of experts and facilities, the program team is able to develop, optimize and test technology solutions aimed at improving vehicle efficiency as well as infrastructure performance, economics and safety. Our activities are focussed mainly on 6 critical research areas:
Research areas
Aerodynamics – Contribute to a sustainable transportation system in Canada through the development and deployment of aerodynamic technologies and methods that meet the needs of current and emerging transportation frameworks.
Batteries – Accelerate transportation electrification supported by an innovative, sustainable, cost‑competitive and world‑class lithium battery ecosystem in Canada.
Electrical machines – Promote the deployment of transportation electrification by the development of innovative, cost‑competitive, efficient and durable electrical machine solutions for Canadian industries.
Fleet energy efficiency – Empower fleet operators by providing tools and guidance during their transition to lower emissions and energy‑efficient operations.
Hydrogen applications – Accelerate transportation electrification supported by an innovative, cost‑competitive, world‑class hydrogen technologies ecosystem in Canada.
Collaborate with us
Building on more than 10 years of experience in the field of vehicle propulsion technologies, and a solid history of collaboration with industry and academia, the Clean and Energy‑efficient Transportation program was designed to address complex challenges brought on by the clean energy transition, such as vehicle performance, consumer acceptance, infrastructure deployment, component cost and supply, reliance on critical minerals, and lifecycle impacts, in addition to regulations and standards.
Our team can perform lab‑scale research, testing and pre‑certification, and has the facilities and expertise for full‑scale prototyping as well as production scale up.
Our program team
Eddy Zuppel
Program Leader
Guillaume Imbleau Chagnon
Senior Project Manager
Fabrice Bernier
Technological Leader, Electrical Machines
Brian McAuliffe
Technological Leader, Aerodynamics
François Girard
Technological Leader, Hydrogen applications
Peter Kovacik
Technological Leader, Batteries
Cristian Tabra
Technological Leader, Fleet energy efficiency
Michel Cloutier
Business Development Officer
Peter Banks
Business Development Officer
Collaborator benefits
We can serve as an integrated R&D extension to your organization, connect you with other companies across the supply chain and help you certify your products, enabling you to join this rapidly growing market. By working with the NRC, you will:
- accelerate your product and technology development and validation
- become a leader of a rapidly growing supply chain
- minimize your risks associated with the development, adoption and commercialization of new technologies
- gain access to our cross‑functional teams of experienced scientists and engineers as well as to our unique and specialized facilities
- benefit from our unbiased advice and expert consulting services.
The program was designed to meet industry needs and to help drive Canada's sustainable mobility evolution.
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Contact us
If you are looking to access unique expertise in clean and energy-efficient transportation and state-of-the-art research facilities, please contact:
Eddy Zuppel, Program Leader
Email: Eddy.Zuppel@cnrc-nrc.gc.ca
LinkedIn: Eddy Zuppel
Targeted industries
OEMs, parts and systems suppliers, raw material producers, processing companies, technology developers and integrators, system integrators, fleet operators.