The U.S. Department of Energy will invest $59 million to advance vehicle technology research, which includes a project that will focus on alt-fuel vehicle proof-of-concept demonstrations for fleets, as well as the development of more efficient powertrains and mobility systems research.

The research will be funded through the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, according to U.S. Department of Energy Under Secretary of Energy Mark W. Menezes. The overall funding opportunity will aim to address priorities in advanced batteries and electric drive systems, energy efficient mobility systems, materials for more efficient powertrains, co-optimized advanced engine and fuel technologies, and alternative fuels and new mobility options.

One of the topic areas for the funding project includes one that will focus on alternative fuel vehicles and infrastructure for resiliency and emergency preparedness, new mobility services in rural America, and electric vehicle data collection. There is also an open topic specific to Clean Cities coalitions seeking innovative ideas for alternative fuel and mobility solutions.

Other project targets include one that will focus on developing new solid electrolytes for solid state batteries that can address materials challenges and enable next-generation chemistries that reduce costs and improve energy density and cycle life.

Other topics of focus include projects that will focus on novel, innovative materials and designs that decrease the size and increase the power density of electric drive systems by a factor of eight; research for energy efficient mobility systems research, focusing on improving the accuracy, speed, and predictive capability of multi-mode combustion simulation models for current high performance computing systems; and developing innovative powertrain systems that combine advanced materials that reduce weight and enable higher engine temperatures with new combustion strategies to improve vehicle fuel economy.