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DOE announces SuperTruck Charge Funding Opportunity
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the SuperTruck Charge funding program, which will award $72 million for projects that will enable the design, development, and demonstration of innovative electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure near key ports, distribution hubs, and major corridors in support of electrified medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (MHDVs). SuperTruck Charge seeks innovative and replicable solutions supporting medium- and heavy-duty (MHD) EVs, accelerate charging infrastructure deployment, and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
There is a need to identify large scale replicable high power charging installations to serve MHD electric fleets with tens to hundreds of vehicles. There is also a need to develop high-capacity charging infrastructure to serve MHD electric trucks for long-haul use cases (more than 500 mile per day) along major corridors and rural regions where grid capacity is limited.
The United States recently signed the Drive to Zero Memorandum of Understanding, which sets the ambition of having 30% of all new MHDV sales be zero emission by 2030 and a full transition to zero emission fleet by 2040. Further research, development, and demonstration of high-capacity high-power charging installations with Vehicle Grid Integration (VGI) strategies for electrified MHDVs will be critical to meet these goals while ensuring equipment interoperability, mitigation of grid impacts, improving grid resiliency and reliability, and creating downward pressure on electricity rates.
This funding opportunity identifies potential solutions to address the current gaps in electrified MHDV charging infrastructure necessary to enable greater utilization of electrified fleets, and drastically reducing GHG emissions due to MHD trucks. This program encourages the development and inclusion of innovative wired and non-wired charging solutions to deploy high power electric vehicle charging for MHD EV fleets. The outcomes of this program will lead to accelerated deployment of large-scale public electric vehicle charging infrastructure with clean energy resource technologies, as well as provide greater grid resiliency and reliability. SuperTruck Charge is aligned with the U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization plans and strategies to address energy justice, fuel the economy, create good paying jobs, and expand access to cutting-edge technologies that reduce GHG emissions and create healthier communities.
VTO expects to make two to three awards under SuperTruck Charge, each ranging between $24 million and $36 million.
As part of the application, applicants are required to describe how diversity, equity, and inclusion objectives will be incorporated in the project. Specifically, applicants are required to submit a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Plan that describes the actions the applicant will take to foster a welcoming and inclusive environment, support people from groups underrepresented in STEM, advance equity, and encourage the inclusion of individuals from these groups in the project; and the extent the project activities will be located in or benefit underserved communities. Applications must also ensure that proposed charging infrastructure deployments are open to multiple fleets and/or provide a public charging aspect to demonstrate broader access and utilization.
Prior to submitting a full application for this opportunity, a mandatory concept paper is due on October 8, 2024 at 5:00 PM ET.
Funding for this FOA is subject to congressional appropriations.
Learn more about this funding opportunity and other open funding opportunities within DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
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