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Truck Makers in the U.S. Get Access to Even More Government Funding to Go Green

The state-endorsed electrification project for heavy- and medium-duty trucks, which has been in the working for several years now, goes a step further, with the SuperTruck 3 Funding Opportunity Announcement.
Daimler Freightliner SuperTruck 1 photo
Photo: Daimler
After SuperTruck 1 (launched in 2009) and SuperTruck 2 (launched in 2016), the U.S. Department of Energy officially announced SuperTruck 3, focused on electrifying freight trucking and expanding EV infrastructure.

The Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) and Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO) created two funding programs that offer a total of $162 million for the third stage of the truck electrification program.

After successfully improving fuel efficiency for heavy-duty freight trucks and Class 8 trucks in the first two initiatives, the goal now is to expand the process to several other types of trucks, and to focus on various means of electrification, including hybrid systems that use renewable biofuels and hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.

Big names in the trucking industry, such as Volvo, Daimler, Cummins/Peterbilt, and Navistar have not only reached, but even exceeded the first SuperTruck program goal of improving fuel efficiency by 50 percent. And SuperTruck 2 participants are also working on improving 18-wheelers’ (Class 8 trucks) efficiency.

These encouraging results show that truck electrification can and should be broadened to include more types of trucks and fueling strategies. And this is what DOE’s latest funding opportunity aims to achieve.

With clean energy being a top priority for the Biden administration, the complete electrification of trucks is one of the most important goals. According to DOE, light-duty trucks, together with passenger cars, are responsible for almost 60 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. Heavy- and medium-duty trucks have a significant share, as well.

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.” – says U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm.

Applicants must submit a concept paper by May 13, 2021, with July 12, 2021 being the final term for full applications.
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About the author: Otilia Drăgan
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Otilia believes that if it’s eco, green, or groundbreaking, people should know about it (especially if it's got wheels or wings). Working in online media for over five years, she's gained a deeper perspective on how people everywhere can inspire each other.
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