Welcome!
This edition of Powering Progress brings exciting updates from the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation (Joint Office)! Scroll for information on upcoming webinars, funding opportunities, and resource spotlights. ⚡️
 Reminder: Medium- and Heavy-Duty Charging RFI Comments Due November 12
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT's) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), along with the Joint Office, have released a Request for Information (RFI) from stakeholders about electric vehicle (EV) charging technologies and infrastructure needs for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles.
The RFI seeks input in four areas to support medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicles: 1) unique EV charger and station needs; 2) vehicle charging patterns; 3) charging technology and standardization, and 4) workforce, supply chain, and manufacturing to support charging of medium- and heavy-duty battery EVs in DOT vehicle classes four through eight, which include delivery vans, school buses, semi-tractor trucks, fire trucks, dump trucks, and tour buses.
Instructions for submitting comments can be found in the Federal Register Notice.
Mark Your Calendar: Upcoming Joint Office Webinars
📅 Nov. 12 from 2–3 p.m. ET
 This webinar will focus on how Justice40 is currently being implemented with respect to EV charging, and what metrics are best suitable for cities, states and other stakeholders to employ.
📅 Nov. 20 from 1–2:30 p.m. ET
 The last in a four-part series of electric school bus familiarization training series provides technicians and other school bus fleet personnel with an overview of electric vehicle battery charging standards, charger maintenance requirements, and charger safety considerations.
Joint Office Headlines
Get the latest EV charging sales and charger data from our monthly minute! As of the end of September 2024, a total of 1,137,505 PEVs had been sold this year, up 7.8% year over year. For context, at the end of September 2023, cumulative PEV sales were 1,054,317. In other words, 83,000 more PEVs have sold in 2024 than at this same time last year.
On Oct. 29, as part of President Biden and Vice President Harris’ Investing in America agenda, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the selection of 55 applicants across 27 states and territories to receive nearly $3 billion through EPA’s Clean Ports Program.
These grants will support the deployment of zero-emission equipment, as well as infrastructure and climate and air quality planning projects at ports across the country. The grants are funded by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act — the largest investment in combating climate change and promoting clean energy in history — and will advance environmental justice by reducing diesel air pollution in U.S. ports and surrounding communities while promoting good-paying and union jobs that help America’s ports thrive.
Check out these eight projects that received nearly $45 million to lower the costs of recycling electric drive vehicle batteries and battery components.
Congratulations to these Vehicle Technologies Office funding recipients! $18.6 million in funding will support 15 projects driving innovation in equitable clean transportation. Topics are aligned with strategies detailed in the U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization, and projects include public vehicle fleet electrification, port electrification, hydrogen fleet demonstrations, and other approaches to zero-emission transportation.
Resource Spotlight
 The electric vehicle grid integration (EVGI) team at NREL performs evaluations of medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicles to support the development of EV connectors.
The Joint Office funds projects across the United States whose outcomes aim to improve and expand zero-emission charging infrastructure for all Americans. Check out the latest project updates!
 The SAE Standard J3400 Recommend Practice is ready. SAE International sat down with J3400 taskforce leader Rodney McGee to discuss how the standard benefits the industry.
Learn more about the J3400 charger and the benefits it brings to your charging experience. 🔌
New Resources
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Ride & Drive Electric Funding Awards The Joint Office awarded $46.5 million in federal funding for projects to improve performance, reliability, and resiliency of EV charging while strengthening the EV workforce and ensuring equity. Learn more about the program and funded projects.
Did You Know?
The Joint Office’s Clean Bus Planning Awards are ONGOING! Award recipients get free technical assistance to develop comprehensive and customized bus electrification plans—and there’s no deadline. ⚡️ Learn more.
Join Us: Upcoming Events
See all upcoming events at driveelectric.gov/events.
Nov. 12–16: City Summit, Tampa, Florida: For a century, the National League of Cities has been supporting local leaders in building thriving cities, towns, and villages. City Summit is one of the most comprehensive conferences for local elected officials and municipal staff.
Nov. 13, 20, 22: Electric Vehicle Working Group Meeting, Virtual: The November EVWG meeting includes a report out and discussion lead by each of the three subcommittees: medium/heavy-duty adoption, grid integration, and charging network. Members will deliberate and vote on recommendations made by each subcommittee.
Nov. 13: CoMotion LA, Los Angeles, California: Senior Advisor Debs Schrimmer joins a panel on Electrifying Cities: Preparing for the Expansion and Growth of Electric Vehicles.
Nov 14: SAE Energy & Propulsion Conference & Exhibition, Columbus, Ohio: Deputy Director Rachael Nealer discusses EVs and EV Infrastructure on an executive panel.
Nov. 15: Micromobility America 2024, Costa Mesa, California: Debs Schrimmer speaks on a panel about Scaling Climate Impact: Aligning Capital, Startups, and Policy for Micromobility.
Nov. 19–21: CharIN Testival, San Bernardino, California: Discover the latest developments in e-mobility and interoperability while testing a variety of vehicles, charging stations, and communication controllers. Join stakeholders from across the e-mobility value chain, forging valuable connections in person.
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