U.S. Department of Energy allocates $45M to EV battery development

The U.S. Department of Energy announced this week that it would be allocating $45 million to develop electric vehicle batteries that will be more affordable and last longer. The funding is part of the DOE’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy and will be called the Electric Vehicles for American Low-Carbon Living (EVs4ALL) program. 

Jennifer M. Granholm, the U.S. Secretary of Energy, said, “Advanced batteries are the heartbeat of the electric vehicle industry, and investments to make them charge faster and last longer will be critical to accelerate the deployment of electric cars and trucks.”

The project has three primary purposes, which include faster charging, increasing efficiency, and improving resilience. The DOE recognizes that many Americans’ homes are not suited for EV charging infrastructure and will need to charge their cars elsewhere, and the goal is to make this as fast as possible. The project will also aim to increase the efficiency of EV batteries, especially in frigid climates that some EV batteries cannot currently withstand. Improving resilience would reportedly reduce consumers’ so-called “range anxiety” and increase their “overall comfort level of operating their vehicle for long-distance traveling.”

“The benefits of an electrified transportation sector in America will be felt for generations to come — from directly combatting climate change to growing domestic manufacturing jobs and strengthening our overall energy independence,” Granholm said.  

The DOE also announced it will be allocating $3.1 billion towards the development of “advanced batteries,” which includes “supporting the creation of new, retrofitted, and expanded commercial facilities and demonstrations that manufacture battery materials, cell components, and batteries, along with battery recycling.” Another $60 million will reportedly be allocated to “support second-life applications for batteries once used to power electric vehicles.” 

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