US Energy: DOE Announces $209 Million for Electric Vehicles Battery Research

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced $209 million in funding for 26 new laboratory projects focusing on electric vehicles, advanced batteries and connected vehicles. Advanced, lithium-based batteries play an integral role in 21st century technologies such as electric vehicles, stationary grid storage, and defense applications that will be critical to securing America’s clean energy future. Additionally, DOE’s Argonne National Laboratory announced the Li-Bridge, a new public-private partnership to bridge gaps in the domestic lithium battery supply chain. Both announcements support the Biden-Harris administration goals to make America a global leader in electric vehicle and battery innovation, advance the development of these technologies to save families money, lower carbon pollution, and create high-quality jobs.

Li-Bridge alliance industry members will join Deputy Secretary of Energy David Turk for a virtual roundtable, Building Bridges Across the Battery Ecosystem, on October 29, 2021. RSVP here

“President Biden’s Administration wants to make it easier for millions of American families and businesses to make the switch to electric vehicles,” said Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “By developing smarter vehicle batteries, we can make these technologies cheaper and more accessible, while positioning America to be become a global leader of EV infrastructure production and clean energy jobs.”

The U.S. currently relies heavily on importing advanced battery components from abroad, which exposes the nation to supply chain vulnerabilities that threaten to disrupt the availability and cost of these technologies. The 26 national laboratory projects announced today will address four critical goals:

Significantly reducing the cost and size of next generation battery technology
Advancing extreme fast charging to allow for batteries to be fully charged in less than 15-minutes
Mitigating potential grid impacts of tens of millions of vehicles being charged across the nation
Streamlining cooperative vehicle-to-vehicle communications and controls that reduce energy use and emissions
To review the full list of the selected projects, visit DOE’s Vehicle Technologies Office.

“NREL and the state of Colorado continue to lead the development of innovative energy storage and battery technologies that reduce our carbon emissions,” said U.S. Senator Michael Bennet (CO). “These projects are exactly the type of research the federal government should invest in to decarbonize our energy system, modernize our infrastructure, support the growing domestic clean energy industries, and combat climate change.”

“As we focus on building back better, we have to prioritize cutting-edge technology that is cleaner, safer, and responsive to today’s domestic supply chain needs,” said U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (NY). “I am proud to have fought for this vital DOE funding to bring innovation home to New York State and our world-class Brookhaven National Laboratory. This investment is a down payment on a greener, more prosperous future for all of us, and I look forward to supporting more of these projects in the future.”

“Colorado is at the forefront of clean energy innovation. This funding will quicken our transition to zero-emissions transportation,” said U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper (CO).

“California has long been at the forefront of developing electric vehicles, and we must continue to innovate this technology,” said U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (CA). “I’m proud to support this DOE funding that will provide tens of millions of dollars to support research at California labs working on the latest in energy storage and electric vehicle batteries. Developing this technology and unlocking its potential in the United States will help us address the climate crisis, while strengthening our economy.”

“I’m very proud that important research on battery storage and electrification of transportation is happening in my District and pleased that the federal funds I voted for are going to these important projects,” said U.S. Representative Anna G. Eshoo (CA-18). “Electric vehicles and new battery technology are the future of clean energy and transportation. It is through consistent investment in these innovative technologies that we will combat the devastating climate crisis and ensure the U.S. remains competitive in the global economy.”

“We need to act fast to electrify the transportation sector, strengthen our domestic manufacturing, and keep jobs at home by building the vehicles of the future and the batteries that support them here in America,” said U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell (MI-12). “Building a charging infrastructure and making this transition to zero emissions vehicles takes collaboration across sectors, and I’m thankful for Secretary Granholm’s leadership and the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to a cleaner future, while also supporting the United States supply chain and good-paying American jobs.”

The Li-Bridge, led by DOE’s Argonne National Laboratory, will work with the entire National Laboratory complex to accelerate the development of a robust and secure domestic supply chain for lithium-based batteries. Argonne will engage with the federal sector through the Federal Consortium for Advanced Batteries (FCAB), which was established by DOE to put the U.S. on a path to long-term competitiveness in the global battery value chain.