The U.S. Energy Department (DOE) has announced it is to pledge US$22m to support the research, development, and demonstration of plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) and direct injection propane engine technologies, as well as community-based projects to accelerate the adoption of light, medium, and heavy duty vehicles that operate on fuels such as biodiesel, electricity, E85, hydrogen, natural gas, and propane.
DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy seeks cost-shared projects across three areas of sustainable transportation technologies. A new “plug-in electric drive vehicle program” focuses on research, development, and demonstration of medium and heavy duty PEVs, from class 3 to 7, including vehicles that can use their onboard energy storage to provide power to electrical loads external to the vehicle. Once adopted by the market, these vehicles will significantly reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Also, DOE seeks cost-shared projects for the research, development, and demonstration of direct injection propane engines for on-highway vehicles that could result in substantial reductions of greenhouse gas emissions.
Lastly, as part of this funding opportunity, DOE seeks highly leveraged Alternative Fuel Vehicle Community Partner Projects that will significantly accelerate the use of light, medium, and heavy duty vehicles that operate on fuels such as biodiesel, electricity, E85, hydrogen, natural gas, and propane as well as the fueling infrastructure needed to support them. Led by community-based partnerships between state and local governments and key private sector stakeholders, these projects will help catalyze alternative fuel use nationwide through the collection and sharing of best practices and lessons learned.
