The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded $199 million to fund 25 projects aimed at putting cleaner cars and trucks on America’s roads. Of that nearly $200 million, $127 million has been dedicated to the SuperTruck 3 program, which will provide five heavy-vehicle manufacturers with funds to pioneer electric medium- and heavy-duty trucks and freight-system concepts to achieve higher efficiency and zero emissions.
Check out the gallery to see which OEMs were chosen and how much they were awarded.
DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy initially launched the SuperTruck Initiative in 2009 to improve heavy-duty truck freight efficiency by 50%. The second iteration, SuperTruck 2, sought to double fuel efficiency for tractor-trailers. Now, selectees for SuperTruck 3 will work over the next five years to improve medium- and heavy-duty truck efficiencies and reduce emissions in freight transportation, according to DOE.
SuperTruck 3 participants are:
- Paccar
- Volvo Group
- Daimler Trucks North America
- Ford Motor Co.
- General Motors
“Inaction is not an option. We remain laser-focused on our goal to electrify our trucks and to help build the necessary infrastructure,” said Rainer Müller-Finkeldei, SVP of engineering and technology at Daimler Trucks North America. ”Through DOE’s SuperTruck 3 program, we will be able to more quickly investigate high-risk, high-reward technologies to clear the technical pathway for their development and potential integration in series production.”
EV charging expansion projects
Separately, the DOE also released the Low Greenhouse Gas (GHG) funding opportunity that will invest $71 million in 20 research, development, and demonstration projects with industry, academia, and nonprofits, including Clean Cities Coalitions for the creation of solutions to reducing emissions for on- and off-road vehicles and for accelerating the expansion of EV infrastructure and charging.
Projects will work to lower emissions by leading the expansion of EV charging stations to facilitate the transition from fossil fuel-powered vehicles to electric vehicles. This includes EV charging community projects, such as installing charge stations within multi-unit housing, hosting community-led demonstrations that address barriers to EV adoption and lowering costs for direct current (DC) fast-charging equipment.
“As America’s solutions department, DOE is working with manufacturers and industry partners to reimagine vehicle transportation across the country to achieve our climate goals—from lowering carbon emissions to increasing efficiency and affordability,” U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm. “This investment and the innovations that come from it will help shape our clean energy future and strengthen domestic manufacturing that support good-paying careers for hard working Americans.”
