Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $22 million to support the research, development and demonstration of innovative 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 sustainable fuels.
According to the DOE, its Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy now seeks cost-shared projects across three areas of sustainable transportation technologies. A new plug-in electric drive vehicle program focuses on the research, development and demonstration of medium- and heavy-duty PEVs, from Class 3 to Class 7, including vehicles that can use their onboard energy storage to provide power to electrical loads external to the vehicle. The department holds that once adopted by the market, these vehicles will significantly reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse-gas emissions.
The DOE also 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, the 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.
According to the DOE, these projects will help catalyze alternative fuel use nationwide through the collection and sharing of best practices.
