The U.S. Department of Energy announced an investment of up to $137 million in two programs aimed at advancing vehicle efficiency technologies. This funding is contingent on appropriations and coincides with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) adopting a second round of standards for medium and heavy-duty vehicles.
One of the initiatives, SuperTruck II, will allocate funds to four projects designed to develop cost-effective technologies that more than double the freight efficiency of Class 8 trucks, commonly known as 18-wheelers. The other initiative involves the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Vehicle Technologies Office Program Wide Funding Opportunity Announcement selections, which will distribute $57 million across 35 new projects. These projects aim to develop advanced batteries and electric drive systems to reduce carbon emissions and petroleum consumption in passenger cars and light trucks.
“These investments will accelerate the development of innovative vehicle technologies that will save businesses and consumers money at the pump, cut carbon emissions, and strengthen our economy,” said Acting Assistant Secretary David Friedman. “SuperTruck II builds on the successful SuperTruck I program, which has already led to more than twenty fuel-saving technologies that have reached the commercial market.”
Launched in 2010, the SuperTruck initiative aimed to improve heavy-duty truck freight efficiency by 50 percent. Heavy-duty trucks haul 80 percent of goods in the United States, consuming about 28 billion gallons of fuel annually and accounting for approximately 22 percent of total transportation energy usage. Three out of four competitively-selected teams from this initiative have exceeded their goals, with one team expected to meet its target this year.
For SuperTruck II, four teams have been selected for projects receiving $20 million each in federal funding:
- Cummins Inc., based in Columbus, IN, will design a more efficient engine along with advanced drivetrain and vehicle technologies.
- Daimler Trucks North America LLC from Portland, OR, will develop a tractor-trailer combination featuring active aerodynamics, cylinder deactivation, hybridization, and electrification of accessories.
- Navistar Inc., located in Lisle, IL, plans to create a vehicle with electrified engine components enabling higher efficiency alongside an aerodynamically reengineered cab.
- Volvo Technology of America LLC in Greensboro, NC aims to demonstrate a lightweight cab tractor trailer combination using alternative engine designs and various system technologies.
The Vehicle Technologies Office Program Wide Selections seek to reduce costs while improving efficiencies for plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs), alternative fuel vehicles, and conventional vehicles through thirty-five projects. Additionally, the Department of the Army is contributing $2.2 million via the Advanced Vehicle Power Technology Alliance for specific projects focused on advanced high-voltage electrolytes for batteries as well as improved engine and powertrain technologies.
Most projects align with EV Everywhere's goals—an Energy Department program aiming to make PEVs as affordable and convenient as gasoline-powered vehicles by 2022. Further details about these initiatives can be found at Energy.gov.
