US DOE offers millions in vehicle innovation grants
The latest fuel efficiency targets have prompted the US Department of Energy to offer grants to vehicle innovators.
As the Obama Adminstration announced significantly increased fuel efficiency targets for US-sold vehicles, the country's Department of Engery announced a $175m package of grants to encourage innovators of next generation vehicles.
The money is being aimed at companies and projects focused on advanced research which can help auto manufacturers reduce emissions and increase fuel efficiency. The projects are divided into a number of categories including improved fuel and lubricants that optimise performance of combustion engines.
The other categories are:
- Light-weighting materials
- Light weight multi-material prototype
- Advanced power electronics and electric motor technology
- Thermoelectric and enabling engine technology
- Advanced vehicle testing and evaluation
The grants cover 40 projects across 15 States, with timescales for research ranging from three to five years. The money is also viewed as seed capital to allow the grant-winners to access additional external funding, estimated at more than $300m.
The grant-winning organisations range in size and expertise, including MIT which will research new lubes formulations for engine sub-systems and diesel-level efficiency from gasoline engines; Ford, looking at fuel combustion strategies and PAG-based engine oils and Oak Ridge National Laboratory's investigation of ionic liquids as multi-functional lubricants.
The largest single award, $26.4m, will go to the Electric Transport Engineering Corp. to test and evaluate a variety of fuel and propulsion systems across the vehicle range.
