March 2025 transportation electrification open funding opportunities

US DOE – Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program

Qualifying applicants: Manufacturers of advanced technology vehicles that achieve defined fuel economy targets and producers of components or materials that enhance the fuel economy and emissions performance of eligible vehicles.

  • Qualifying projects: Must 1) manufacture eligible vehicles or components that are used in eligible vehicles, 2) build new facilities; reequip, modernize or expand existing facilities; and/or support engineering integration performed in the U.S. related to the manufacturing of eligible vehicles or components, 3) be located in the U.S., and 4) provide a reasonable prospect of repayment.
  • Total funding amount: $10 billion.
  • Application due date: Rolling applications.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) – Clean Bus Planning Award

  • Qualifying applicants: State and local government entities that provide bus service; private school fleets with an active contractual agreement to serve a public school district; nonprofit school transportation associations; tribes, tribal organizations, or tribally controlled schools responsible for the purchase of school buses or providing school bus service for a BIA-funded school; and direct or designated recipients of FTA grants, including state and local governmental authorities.
  • Award goals: Connect transit and school bus fleets with technical experts to support planning for bus electrification.
  • Assistance provided: Existing fleet baseline analysis, vehicle electrification feasibility analysis, infrastructure assessment and optimization strategy, procurement and project staging, financial analysis, emissions modeling, stakeholder analysis, workforce considerations, and recommended next steps.
  • Application due date: Rolling applications.

US DOE – FY 2025 Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) program-wide funding program

  • Qualifying applicants: Institutes of higher education, for-profit entities, nonprofit entities, state and local government entities and tribes; and consortia of entities described in this paragraph.
  • Qualifying projects: Projects to address improved battery technology for both light- and heavy-duty applications, smart charging infrastructure, sustainable farming, workforce development, and demonstration and deployment of these new innovative technologies.
  • Total funding amount: $88 million
  • Application due date: June 18, 2025, at 5 p.m. EST

US DOE – Community Energy Innovation Prize Round 2

  • Qualifying applicants: Individuals; private entities (for-profits and nonprofits); nonfederal government entities such as states, counties, tribes and municipalities; and academic institutions.
  • Qualifying projects: The prize is made up of three tracks, including the Vehicles Ecosystem Track. For this track, prizes will be awarded based on supporting the deployment of clean transportation technologies in a manner that promotes access to clean transportation technologies, improves health and air quality outcomes, and lowers the burden of transportation impacts on community members.
  • Total funding amount: $8.42 million.
  • Application due date: June 20, 2025.