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With transportation accounting for roughly 30% of America's energy consumption and the largest contributor to the country's greenhouse gas emissions, the U.S. Department of Energy is offering more than $162 million in funding to improve efficiency and reduce carbon emissions for cars, trucks, and off-road vehicles.

"Getting to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 means we must aggressively cut down the largest source of emissions: the transportation sector," said Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm.

To accomplish this, DOE is investing $100 million into electrifying freight trucking, a major contributor to the overall transportation emissions in the U.S.

Known as SuperTruck 3, this funding opportunity is a continuation of two previous initiatives aimed at reducing the emissions from the trucks that deliver equipment, supplies, and goods in the U.S.

DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy initially launched SuperTruck 1 in 2009, an initiative aimed at improving heavy-duty truck freight efficiency by 50%. The follow-up SuperTruck 2 in 2016 sought to double fuel efficiency for 18-wheeler trucks.

DOE says these Obama-era initiatives attracted the participation of more than 99% of truck manufacturers in the U.S. and within seven years, four of them – Volvo, Daimler, Cummins-Peterbilt, and Navistar – have exceeded the SuperTruck 1 goal, and five SuperTruck 2 projects are on track to more than double the fuel mileage for 18-wheelers.

DOE says new technologies, business models, consumer demands, and other factors present a unique opportunity to re-envision a more economical and sustainable trucking sector – supporting domestic jobs, the nation's economy, and the administration's clean energy goals all at once.

In line with these changes, the next stage of the SuperTruck initiatives is focused on electrifying freight trucking and expanding electric vehicle infrastructure and lowering emissions for on- and off-road vehicles.

"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 toward electrifying trucks of all sizes, along with efforts to expand EV charging access and develop low-emission car engines," said Granholm.

The Vehicle Technologies Office and the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office, both under DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, are offering up to $100 million in funding over four years – subject to appropriations – to pioneer electrified medium- and heavy-duty trucks and freight systems. This funding focuses on a range of approaches to electrification-all-electric, plug-in hybrid systems using renewable biofuels, and hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, including hybridization strategies such as fuel cell range extenders.

"Our modern approach to energy should be 'all of the above' not an 'everything but' solution. SuperTruck is a vital program not only to Indiana's Sixth Congressional District, but to the path forward in expanding America's energy capabilities and independence," said U.S. Rep. Greg Pence, R-Indiana. "I came to Congress to ensure Hoosiers back home in Indiana have a seat at the table, which means prioritizing job creation and economic growth for my constituents – and this investment will accomplish just that."

Jennifer Granholm

In addition to SuperTruck 3, Vehicle Technologies Office is offering up to $62.75 million for innovative solutions for reducing emissions and increasing efficiencies for on- and off-road vehicles. To accelerate electric vehicle adoption, this funding opportunity will support expansion of EV infrastructure and charging, along with community-level EV demonstrations that can lower barriers to EV adoption-such as piloting EV car sharing and installing EV charging within multi-unit housing. The funding is also open to projects developing advanced engines and fuels that operate with lower emissions.

The application processes for both SuperTruck 3 and the Vehicle Technologies Office's Low Greenhouse Gas Vehicle Technologies Funding Opportunity include two phases – a concept paper due by May 13 and a full application due by July 12.