The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced US$7.4 million funding on Feb 15 for seven projects that will accelerate electrification of medium-duty and heavy-duty freight transportation in the US.
The seven projects selected by DOE, including projects proposed by US-based companies Cummins and Calstart, received a total of US$7.4 million in funding to develop charging infrastructures for medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicles (EV) and hydrogen corridors across the country.
Cummins, Calstart, and Gas Technology Institute in Illinois receives respectively US$1.25 million. Utah State University receives US$1.22 million; National Grid, Rocky Mountain Institute, and Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator each receives funding ranging from US$688,850 to US$1 million.
The projects, administered by DOE's Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) and Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO), will help accelerate the deployment of medium- and heavy-duty EV charging and refueling infrastructure to reduce emissions from freight corridors and the depots, ports, and other facilities those corridors service.
Cummins and South Korean carmaker Hyundai signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) back in 2019 to collaborate in developing and commercializing electric and fuel cell powertrains for EVs. According to the joint statement, the initial development of the fuel cell-based powertrain system will be focused on the North American commercial vehicle market, including working with North American OEMs on the integration of the system into their vehicles.
DOE's regional clean hydrogen hubs (H2Hubs) program
Meanwhile, the DOE has allocated up to US$8 billion to establish six to 10 regional clean hydrogen hubs across America through the regional clean hydrogen hubs (H2Hubs) program.
According to DOE, the H2Hubs program will "create networks of hydrogen producers, consumers, and local connective infrastructure to accelerate the use of hydrogen as a clean energy carrier that can deliver or store tremendous amounts of energy."
Applicants for the H2Hubs program are required by DOE to submit full proposal in April, 2023.
