ARPA-E Funding Opportunity: NEXT-Generation Energy Technologies for Connected and Automated on-Road-vehicles (NEXTCAR)

The U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) announced up to $30 million in funding for two new programs that aim to solve some of the nation's most pressing energy challenges by accelerating the development of novel energy technologies. NEXT-Generation Energy Technologies for Connected and Automated on-Road vehicles (NEXTCAR) seeks to develop new technologies that decrease energy consumption of future vehicles through the use of connectivity and automation.

"We must continue to invest in programs that encourage the scientific community to think boldly and differently about our nation's energy future," said ARPA-E Director Dr. Ellen D. Williams. "The NEXTCAR program's focus on exploiting automation to improve energy efficiency in future vehicles."

Significant research and development is underway to make future vehicles more connected and automated in order to reduce road accidents and traffic fatalities, but these technologies can also be leveraged to improve energy efficiency in future vehicles. The NEXTCAR program is providing up to $30 million in funding to create new control technologies that reduce the energy consumption of future vehicles by using connectivity and vehicle automation. The program seeks transformative technological solutions that will enable at least a 20 percent reduction in the energy consumption of future Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAVs), compared to vehicles without these technologies.

For more information and to view the full funding opportunity announcement, please click here.