At least $100 million in federal funding will be invested by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in the development of zero-emission electric trucks.
The investment represents part of a larger collaboration between the DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and automobile manufacturers who are part of the SuperTruck initiative.
The initiative, which launched in 2009, seeks to facilitate the automobile industry’s adoption of sustainable engineering and electric automobile innovation.
Though SuperTruck began with the aim of improving heavy-duty truck freight efficiency by at least 50%, its partners have since surpassed expectations. It is now in its third iteration.
SuperTruck 3 is scheduled to launch by the end of the year. The program will include concept design, pilot vehicle development, before finishing with testing and analysis.
One partner in the program is Volvo Group North America (VGNA), who have received an initial investment of at least $18 million toward their development of regional-haul, heavy-duty zero-emission electric trucks for the U.S. market.
VGNA will match the federal investment by funding myriad approaches to electric vehicle technology: all-electric, plug-in hybrids, renewable biofuels, and hydrogen and fuel cells, among others.
“The entire team at Volvo Group North America is honored to be selected once again for the SuperTruck 3 Program,” said Martin Weissburg, Chairman of Volvo Group North America. Especially with the program’s focus on zero-emissions, battery-electric vehicles in the medium- and heavy-duty truck segments.
“Today’s news also underscores the importance of our ongoing relationship with the DOE, and our commitment to advancing sustainable transport and infrastructure solutions that deliver meaningful contributions toward tackling climate-change challenges.”
