The U.S. Department of Energy said it will launch the Electric Vehicles for American Low-Carbon Living program with $45 million to support domestic production of advanced EV batteries.
The funding will attempt to address consumer concerns regarding the reliability of EVs. The developments include investments to create batteries with faster charging times, longer lives and more energy efficiency, the agency said in a statement on Tuesday.
DOE spokesperson Molly Morrissey said the program’s intention was to expedite the private sector’s transition to cleaner energy technologies.
“DOE is committed to our continued work within the public and private sectors to accelerate the adoption of clean energy technology that will benefit families and communities in all pockets of the country,” Morrissey wrote in an email. “Ensuring widespread adoption of electric vehicles will require technical innovations in materials, processes, and our ability to produce the critical materials needed to build more electric vehicles here at home.”
Morrissey said funding for the program, being called “EVs4ALL,” will come from the 2022 fiscal year’s advance research project approprartion from Congress.
Tuesday’s announcement came after the DOE announced Monday it will fund a separate $3.1 billion to support the domestic production of EV batteries and reduce U.S. dependency on foreign competitors.