Through the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) Program-Wide Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) selections, 35 new projects will receive $57 million to develop and deploy a wide array of cutting-edge vehicle technologies to reduce carbon emissions and petroleum consumption in passenger cars and light trucks.
Five Clean Cities projects received funding under two specific areas of the FOA selections, including EV Everywhere Plug‐In Electric Vehicle Local Showcases and Alternative Fuel Vehicle Workplace Safety Programs. Drive Oregon, Plug In America, and the American Lung Association of the Upper Midwest will tackle three projects aimed at promoting and demonstrating plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) use by establishing local showcases that provide a hands-on consumer experience and in-depth education. TheGas Technology Institute and Marathon Technical Services USA Inc. will each provide safety training and guidance related to maintenance and garage facility upgrades and building modifications that support the use of alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs). The projects are focused only on facilities with Energy Policy Act (EPAct)-defined natural gas, propane, and hydrogen vehicle refueling infrastructure.
Most of the 35 projects will support the goals of EV Everywhere, an Energy Department program that aims to make PEVs as affordable and convenient as gasoline-powered vehicles by 2022.