There is a pressing need at the European and global levels to address challenges in the design of a new generation of fuels in order to achieve significant efficiency and emissions benefits in modern downsized boosted engines employing gasoline and ethanol blends. Abnormal combustion phenomena are a severe constraint to the use of much higher boosting pressures which are needed for significant gains in efficiency and reduction in emissions. These phenomena have to be better understood within the context of the different thermodynamic regimes that exist in these engines and addressed to enable the full benefit of modern downsized boosted engines to be realised. The area is vitally important for the reduction of GHG emissions and the resulting climate change impact of transportation.GENFUEL is an intersectoral collaboration that tackles fundamental challenges in understanding combustion mechanisms under highly boosted conditions that will be key to unlocking improvements in the design of a new generation of fuels. The project adopts a holistic approach with project components which study fuel engine behaviour along with safe handling technologies and life cycle analysis accounting for water use in fuel pathways.Long-term collaborative relationships will be established between Shell, the coordinator, and six partner universities. This will link their collective combustion, lifecycle and fuel handling expertise directly with Shell’s longstanding R&D fuel design capability.In the first two years, university researchers will participate via secondments to interdisciplinary R&D projects. Industry approaches to R&D will be conveyed to each university via the short term secondments of Shell researchers. To demonstrate commitment to a durable collaboration, Shell will pay for the cost of the researchers' reintegration year and the universities and Shell will jointly initiate follow-on or new projects. A lasting intersectoral collaboration will therefore be established.