Electric Drive Vehicle Battery and Components. This FOA specifically is seeking applications for grants supporting the construction (including production capacity increase of current plants), of US-based manufacturing plants to produce batteries and electric drive components.

The battery manufacturing area is focused on battery manufacturing plants, material and component supplier manufacturing plants, and recycling plants, including facilities and manufacturing equipment, for Li-ion and other advanced batteries for advanced vehicles such as electric drive vehicles (EDVs) and micro-hybrids.

DOE acknowledges the importance of leveraging other battery markets to establish a successful business case. These battery applications include idle-reduction systems for long-haul trucks, military applications, utility ancillary services and power quality, and consumer products.

The electric drive manufacturing area is focused on production plants for components and subcomponents for the power electronics and electric machines (PEEM) used in EDVs. This work is intended to enable market introduction of various electric vehicle technologies by lowering the cost of battery packs, batteries, and electric propulsion systems for EDVs through high-volume manufacturing.

A key objective of the Vehicle Technologies (VT) program is to accelerate the development and production of various electric drive vehicle systems to substantially reduce petroleum consumption. A supporting goal is the development of production-ready batteries, power electronics, and electric machines that can be cost-effectively produced in volume to support the introduction of EDVs.

The FOA defines seven areas of interest for applications:

1. Cell and Battery Manufacturing Facilities
2. Advanced Battery Supplier Manufacturing Facilities
3. Combined Applications for Areas of Interest 1 and 2
4. Advanced Lithium-ion Battery Recycling Facilities
5. Electric Drive Component Manufacturing Facilities
6. Electric Drive Subcomponent Manufacturing Facilities
7. Combined Applications for Areas of Interest 5 and 6

While not mandatory, teaming among materials/component manufacturers with Battery Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) is encouraged. DOE also encourages that teams include one or more potential customers/end users of the batteries to be produced.

Applications including basic research on batteries, battery materials, inverters, converters, motors or subcomponents for EDV drivetrains will not be considered for comprehensive review.

For Areas of Interest 1-4, the DOE is looking for solutions that can produce, or support the production of 20,000 to 100,000 PHEV batteries and/or their cells per year or equivalent volumes of other EDV, or microhybrid (stop/start assist) batteries. For purposes of production volume estimation each PHEV battery must be capable of delivering at least 5 kWh of available energy (total production of 100,000 to 500,000 kWh).

Similarly, for the PEEM work supported by Areas of Interest 5-7, the DOE is looking for the capacity to produce or to contribute to the production of 20,000 to 100,000 EDV drivetrain components or systems such as inverters, converters, and motors.

The award recipient cost share is required to be 50% or higher of the total allowable costs of the project.

Transportation Electrification. This FOA is seeking applications for grants to establish development, demonstration, evaluation, and education projects to accelerate the market introduction and penetration of advanced electric drive vehicles. DOE’s goal is for the vehicles and electric technologies to achieve a fast market introduction and reach high volume production.

One category of the electric drive technologies that will be emphasized in this project is Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV), which is directly in support of the President’s goal to have one million PHEVs on the road by 2015.

This FOA defines four Areas of Interest:

1. Electric Drive Vehicle Demonstration and Evaluation
2. Transportation Sector Electrification
3. Combined Proposals for Area of Interest 1 and 2
4. Advanced Electric Drive Vehicle Education Program

Recipients of awards for Area of Interest 1 are expected to develop and optimize an advanced electric drive vehicle that can 1) achieve commercialization within five (5) years of project initiation or 2) reach volume production within one year of the project conclusion, whichever occurs first.

Technologies that are eligible for selection include PHEV and similar extended range electric vehicles (EREV), Electric Vehicles (EV), or fuel cell vehicles (FCV), and the recharging and electric support infrastructure required for each technology. The classes of vehicles that are covered range from light duty passenger vehicles to medium and heavy duty over-the-road trucks. All vehicles will be Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) compliant or have appropriate FMVSS exemptions.

Motorcycles, three-wheeled vehicles, neighborhood electric vehicles, and other non-conventional passenger vehicles are not desired and will be deemed non-responsive to the announcement.

The DOE highly encourages that the proposing applicant be a vehicle manufacturer currently producing vehicles in the United States with other team members proposed as subcontractors. Applications from other entities will only be considered if a vehicle manufacturer is a team member or provides a commitment to manufacture and build vehicles in the United States.

Applicants are to include general plans for development of advanced electric drive vehicle technologies and demonstration of the PHEV, EV, and/or FCV in diverse areas of the US, with the initial deployment beginning within 12 months from the date of award. Tasks will include development on an advanced electric drive vehicle, followed by a demonstration of the vehicle for a two-year period. In parallel with the demonstration, development will continue on the vehicle, or a more advanced electric drive vehicle, using the information provided by the demonstration to feed into the vehicle development.

The demonstration is not limited to one (1) platform or technology. Combinations of vehicle technologies (EV or PHEV, etc.) or platforms are acceptable for demonstration purposes. The total number of advanced EVs, PHEVs, and/or FCVs shall be 100 or more over a two-year period. It is mandatory that large-scale projects (projects with a substantial contribution of DOE funding) have a greater number of vehicles. Applications proposing less than 100 vehicles will be considered non-responsive to the announcement. The vehicles shall be demonstrated at geographically and climatically diverse locations to be reviewed by DOE.

In parallel with the on-road demonstration fleet, the PHEVs, EVs, or FCVs may be demonstrated on a closed track or test facility (not to exceed 10% of the demonstration fleet), provided a minimum of three vehicles are available and are operated under DOE approved test protocols which can mimic real-world operation for vehicle charging schedules, HVAC operation, powertrain durability, fueling schedules and other evaluation schedules.

The PHEVs and EVs shall be capable of being charged using a 110 volt outlet for home charging. Vehicles may also use a fast charge port provided the vehicle still retains the capability of being charged by the 110 volt outlet. Vehicles are to meet the following minimum requirements:

• PHEVs/EREVs are to be 2010 emissions-compliant, have an electric range equal to or greater than 10 miles, and a total range equal to or greater than 300 miles.

• EVs are to be compliant with current California Air Resources Board (ARB) Zero Emission Standards, and offer a range greater than or equal to 100 miles.

FCVs are to be compliant with current California Air Resources Board (ARB) Zero Emission Standards, and offer a range greater than or equal to 200 miles.

The duration of the vehicle demonstration is a minimum of two years up to three years. The expected initial deployment will begin within 12 months from the date of award, with all 100 demonstration vehicles deployed within eighteen months of the award date.

The hydrogen infrastructure development for the FCVs in this project may not be included in this project; however, a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) has been released by DOE that seeks hydrogen infrastructure development projects.

Projects in Area of Interest 2 are to develop and demonstrate transportation sector electrification, which may include truck stop electrification, electric idle reduction technologies, electric truck refrigeration units, shoreside electrification, non-road vehicle electrification, and the recharging and electrical support infrastructure required for each technology, with the goal of maximizing petroleum reduction and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the vehicle.

The electrification projects must include vehicles to demonstrate the proposed technology as part of the project. The classes of demonstration vehicles that are covered range from electric-drive material and cargo handling equipment, electric airport ground support equipment, light duty passenger vehicles, medium or heavy duty vehicles, commercial rail, and marine vessels. Other off-road vehicles, motorcycles, trikes and neighborhood electric vehicles (NEV) are not desired and will be deemed non-responsive to the announcement.

At the conclusion of the project applicants will have developed and demonstrated an advanced transportation sector electrification technology that can either 1) achieve commercialization within five (5) years of project initiation or 2) reach volume production within one year of the project conclusion, whichever is first.

The team must include a member capable of manufacturing the technology developed under the project or letter of support from a manufacturer of the technology. The development and demonstration shall be for on-vehicle technologies or infrastructure technologies, or a combination of the two.

Area of Interest 4 is to establish education projects that accelerate the mass market introduction and penetration of advanced electric drive vehicles, which includes light-, medium-, and heavy-duty advanced electric vehicles (EV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCV). Education programs include educational outreach encompassing the basics of the technologies; technician training for servicing the advanced vehicles, their components, and the required recharging infrastructure; emergency responder and safety training for vehicles, and/or providing engineering degree programs to advance the development of vehicles and components.

Over the three (3) year project period, the work is to include development and execution of education programs for advanced electric drive vehicles. Tasks are to include one or more of the following:

• Developing and providing teaching materials to secondary schools, colleges and universities;

• Training service personnel and vehicle mechanics for working with advanced electric drive vehicles and their supporting infrastructure;

• Creating new degree programs to ensure the availability of trained electrical and mechanical engineers with the skills necessary for the advancement of EVs, PHEVs, FCVs; and

• Educating consumers on the basics of advanced electric drive vehicles to increase consumer acceptance and market demand.

Resources

Both FOAs are viewable at the FedConnect website by searching on the reference number.