US DOE announces SuperTruck 3, Low GHG Vehicle awards
3 November 2021
The US Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded $199 million to fund 25 projects to help develop cleaner cars and trucks, including long-haul trucks powered by batteries and fuel cells, and at improving the nation’s electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure.
The funding supports the third stage of the SuperTruck initiative, aimed at electrifying freight trucking, along with a number of Low Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission vehicle projects.
For SuperTruck 3, the DOE will fund five heavy-duty vehicle manufacturers with a combined $127 million—more than the $100 million that was originally announced—to develop electrified medium- and heavy-duty trucks and freight system concepts to achieve higher efficiency and zero emissions. Projects will be funded over five years, subject to congressional appropriation, and recipients will match federal funding.
- PACCAR Inc ($32,971,041) will develop eighteen Class-8 battery electric and fuel cell vehicles with advanced batteries and a megawatt charging station.
- Volvo Group North America, LLC ($18,070,333) will develop a 400-mile-range Class-8 battery electric tractor-trailer with advanced aerodynamics, electric braking, EV optimized tires, automation and route planning, and a megawatt charging station.
- Daimler Trucks North America, LLC ($25,791,669) will develop and demonstrate two 2 Class-8 fuel cell trucks with 600-mile range, 25,000-hour durability, equivalent payload capacity and range to diesel.
- Ford Motor Company ($24,952,314) will develop and demonstrate five hydrogen fuel cell electric Class-6 Super Duty trucks targeting cost, payload, towing, and refueling times that are equivalent to conventional gasoline trucks.
- General Motors, LLC ($26,061,726) will develop and demonstrate four hydrogen fuel cell and four battery electric Class 4-6 trucks. The project will also focus on development of clean hydrogen via electrolysis and clean power for fast charging.
The low GHG vehicle funding will invest $71 million in 20 research, development, and demonstration projects with industry, academia, and non-profits including Clean Cities Coalitions. The projects aim to reduce emissions from on- and off-road vehicles and to accelerate the expansion of EV infrastructure and charging.
The SuperTruck 2 program, which was focused on diesel based powertrains, is nearing completion. SuperTruck 2 participants—Daimler, Volvo, Cummins/Peterbilt, Navistar and PACCAR—presented their status update at the DOE Annual Merit Review in June.
Source: US DOE