DOE advances SuperTruck initiatives with $162M for decarbonizing cars, trucks and ORVs
Pushing forward with the SuperTruck 3 initiative, the United States Department of Energy (DOE) announced two funding opportunities this week totaling more than $162 million for efficiency improvements and carbon emissions reduction among cars, trucks, and off-road vehicles.
The DOE estimates that transportation accounts for 30 percent of total U.S. energy needs and generates its largest share of greenhouse gas emissions. The two largest contributors are passenger cars and light-duty trucks, which make up nearly 60 percent of emissions, and medium and heavy-duty freight trucks, which supply nearly 25 percent of emissions. In this way, the new funding seeks to target the biggest polluters while also expanding electric vehicle infrastructure.
“Getting to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 means we must aggressively cut down the largest source of emissions: the transportation sector,” Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said. “DOE’s first two SuperTruck initiatives led the biggest truck makers in the American semi market to take massive leaps in fuel efficiency. This new funding triples down on that progress with a push towards electrifying trucks of all sizes, along with efforts to expand EV charging access and develop low-emission car engines.”
The SuperTruck initiative began in 2009 as a way of improving heavy-duty truck freight efficiency by 50 percent. In 2016, the second initiative pushed to double the fuel efficiency of 18-wheeler trucks. According to DOE, five SuperTruck 2 projects are currently underway and set to more than double 18-wheelers’ miles per gallon.
Of the two new funding opportunities, one will provide up to $100 million over four years for SuperTruck 3 to help trucks become greener. A second will offer up to $62.75 million for the “Low Greenhouse Gas Vehicle Technologies Research, Development, Demonstration, and Deployment” funding opportunity, which will seek reductions in emissions, increased efficiencies for on and off-road vehicles, and expansion of EV infrastructure and charging. The opportunity will also consider projects to develop advanced engines and lower emission fuels.
Concept papers for any applications will be due by May 13, 2021, while full applications have until July 12, 2021. Diversity, equity, and inclusion objectives will play a required part in any submitted plan.
