As a response to the need to decrease the transportation related emissions and energy consumption, today, all major passenger car and other light-duty vehicle manufacturers are broadening their electric vehicle portfolio. The dependency of the present electrical traction motors on the rare materials, such as rare earth permanent magnet materials, namely Neodymium-Iron-Boron magnets, is problematic from several viewpoints: they are imported and expensive and there is a real risk for supply problems in the coming years. To strengthen the European competitiveness, VOLTCAR ('Design, manufacturing, and validation of ecocycle electric traction motor') proposes high-speed, permanent magnet assisted synchronous reluctance technology with a drastic reduction in rare materials' utilisation. During VOLTCAR, the motor prototype is perfected to meet the strictest performance requirements (power density, efficiency), sustainability criteria (recyclability, circularity and low use of rare resources and copper) and the expectations of the automotive sector (cost, reliability, integrability). This major goal is supported by introducing digital design and optimisation methodologies that are capable of assessing the life cycle costs, energy consumption, and carbon footprint in the early phase, guiding the outcomes towards maximised sustainability with reduced use of rare materials and efficient recycling and repurposing patterns. The validity of the VOLTCAR motor prototypes, 50 kW and 120 kW motor, and related technologies is proved according to the automotive standards, presenting an X-in-the-loop (XiL) experimentation environments. With this development, VOLTCAR will simultaneously lead to more green jobs in local SMEs throughout Europe to reduce unemployment rate. The VOLTCAR consortium comprises world-leading automotive Tier 1 and Tier 2 companies and research partners with complementary knowledge and expertise for the successful execution of the proposed work.

The purpose of this project is to improve the Digital Competence (DC) development situation in Ukraine (UA), to harmonize it with the European mainstream by adaptation of the Digital Competence Frameworks for Citizens and for Educators, creation Ukrainian National Digital Coalition (UNDC); to reform in-service training for teachers and to provide “best practices” experiences of how DC could be further developed in general and adapted to the challenges of the Higher Education sector within society at large. The motivation for this comes from the goal set by the European Commission in Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition, DigComp frameworks and the Digital Agenda for Europe (DAE).The project aims to establish an effective UNDC network amongst UA educational institutions, associations, public authorities, business representatives; to design and implement UA DC frameworks; to make recommendations for modifying DC studies curriculum according to the DAE and modern labour market needs; to create DC trainings for teachers and for citizens; to provide high-quality DC trainings for various social strata of society.To achieve the project goals, the following activities will be implemented:- EU DigComp frameworks analysis will be done;- Elaborating DC needs analysis report for UA will be conducted;- Concept, structure, and facilities of dComFra will be designed and implemented;- DC offices & DC e-Platform and 14 learning modules for different citizens groups and educators with practical tasks will be developed; - To improve DC for target groups the pilot trainings for 210 Teachers/140 refugees&ATO-veterans will be conducted;- Different workshops, events, etc. for target groups and wide society will be organized by UA partners for better awareness raising. UNDC will be launched for better influence; - Project outcomes and results will be delivered with various dissemination channels including professional societies, stakeholders of UNDC and project conference on DC in UA.