Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 Vehicles Technologies Program Wide Funding Opportunity Announcement

The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) is issuing, on behalf of the Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO), this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) entitled "FY 2017 Vehicle Technologies Program Wide Funding Opportunity Announcement".

This FOA supports a broad portfolio of advanced highway transportation technologies that reduce petroleum consumption and improve energy efficiency while meeting or exceeding performance and cost expectations.

VTO seeks projects that accelerate the development of advanced batteries, lightweight materials, and emissions control systems, as well as the development and deployment of technologies and systems that enable significant improvements in the energy efficient mobility of people and goods.

The U.S. transportation sector accounts for two-thirds of U.S. petroleum use and on- road vehicles consume nearly 85 percent of the petroleum used for transportation. U.S. dependence on oil for transportation affects the national economy and its potential for future growth–the U.S. sends more than ten billion dollars per month overseas for oil (this amount has been well over one billion dollars per day in recent years). The average U.S. household spends nearly one-fifth of its total family expenditures on transportation, making it the second-most expensive spending category after housing. Oil price volatility also affects the national economy and household budgets. Over the past ten years, U.S. regular conventional retail gasoline prices have fluctuated from around $1.50 to over $4 per gallon, causing fluctuations in annual household budgets by as much as $1,200 per year for the average personal vehicle.

Public investment in advanced, energy efficient transportation technologies and systems will address these issues and improve our Nation’s energy security, support energy independence, reduce transporation emissions, and strengthen U.S. economic competiveness.

VTO funds a broad technology portfolio and adheres to a comprehensive and analysis-based strategy of research, development, demonstration, and market barrier reduction activities. Advanced technologies for vehicle electrification, lightweighting, and advanced combustion engines will increase the efficiency of conventional vehicles and enable alternative fuel vehicles with sufficiently long ranges, sufficiently low costs, broad consumer appeal and significant market penetration potential.

This FOA supports the EERE 2016-2020 Strategic Plan and Implementation Framework Goal 1 to accelerate the development and adoption of sustainable transportation technologies. In addition, this FOA seeks highly-innovative, highly- leveraged, and scalable "smart mobility" projects that focus on transportation system-level opportunities to significantly increase the energy efficiency of goods and/or people movement.

This FOA contains a total of four (4) Areas of Interest (AOIs) and focuses on the research and development of advanced battery technologies, lightweight materials, technologies, advanced emissions control technology, and innovative technologies for energy efficient mobility.