FundOpp_DE-FOA-0003248_Amd_000002.pdf

Template Version November 2023

EERE T 540.117-01: Funding Opportunity Announcement

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)

FY2024 Vehicle Technologies Office Research & Development

Funding Opportunity Announcement

Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Number: DE-FOA-0003248 FOA Type: Amendment 000002

Assistance Listing Number: 81.086

FOA Issue Date: 4/4/2024 Amendment 000001 4/15/2024 Amendment 000002 4/18/2024 Submission Deadline for Concept Papers: 5/2/2024 5:00pm ET Anticipated Date for Concept Paper Notifications: 5/23/2024 Submission Deadline for Full Applications: 6/24/2024 Expected Date for EERE Selection Notifications: September - October 2024 Expected Timeframe for Award Negotiations: October - December 2024

• Applicants must submit a Concept Paper by 5:00pm ET on the due date listed above to be eligible to submit a Full Application.

Questions about this FOA? Email DE-FOA-0003248@netl.doe.gov.

Problems with EERE Exchange? Email EERE-ExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov Include FOA name and number in subject line.

AMENDMENTS

All changes to the Funding Opportunity Announcement as a result of Amendment 000001 are highlighted in yellow.

Amendment No. Date Description of Amendment 000001 4/15/2024 • Additional $4M Funding incorporated into Section I.B

Areas of Interest AOI 3. Revised Section I.B Area of Interest 3 Introduction to add low-carbon fuels including hydrogen, propane, natural gas, and dimethyl ether (reference page 18).

• Section II.A.i. Estimated Funding Estimated total funding changed to $49.8M

• Section II.A.i. Estimated Funding Revised number of awards to 17-28 awards.

• Section IV.D.vii. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Removed that it will be incorporated into the award if selected in DEIA section.

000002 • Section I.B. Area of Interest 1 Revised General Requirements 11. Definition of Project Progress Cells (PPCs) and Project Completion Cells (PCCs) (reference pg.

8).

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NOTE: REGISTRATION/SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Registration Requirements

There are several one-time actions that must be completed before submitting an application in response to this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) (e.g., Register with EERE eXCHANGE.gov, register with the System for Award Management (SAM), obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number, register with Grants.gov, and, if selected for award, be registered in FedConnect). It is vital that applicants address these items as soon as possible. Some may take several weeks, and failure to complete them could interfere with an applicant’s ability to apply to this FOA.

Applicants must register through the EERE eXCHANGE.

EERE eXCHANGE website: https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/

Applicants must register with the SAM.

SAM website: https://www.sam.gov/. Applicants must be registered with SAM prior to submitting an application in response to a FOA (unless the applicant is exempt from those requirements under 2 CFR 25.110). NOTE: Designating an Electronic Business Point of Contact (EBiz POC) and obtaining a special password called an MPIN are important steps in SAM registration. Failure to register with SAM will prevent your organization from applying to this FOA. The applicant must maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or application under consideration. More information about SAM registration for applicants is found at:

https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=gsafsd_kb_articles&sys_id=650d493e1bab7c105465eaccac4 bcbcb.

NOTE: If clicking the SAM links does not work, please copy and paste the link into your browser.

Due to the high demand of SAM registrations and UEI requests, entity legal business name and address validations are taking longer than expected to process. Entities should start the SAM and UEI registration process as soon as possible. If entities have technical difficulties with the SAM registration or UEI validation process they should utilize the HELP feature on SAM.gov. SAM.gov will work entity service tickets in the order in which they are received and asks that entities not create multiple service tickets for the same request or technical issue. Additional entity validation resources can be found here: GSAFSD Tier 0 Knowledge Base – Validating your Entity.

Applicants must obtain a UEI A UEI must be obtained from the SAM to uniquely identify the entity. The UEI is available in the SAM entity registration record.

https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/ https://www.sam.gov/ https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=gsafsd_kb_articles&sys_id=650d493e1bab7c105465eaccac4bcbcb https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=gsafsd_kb_articles&sys_id=650d493e1bab7c105465eaccac4bcbcb https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0058422&sys_kb_id=1b5f22581b2115102fe5ed7ae54bcb4e&spa=1 https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0058422&sys_kb_id=1b5f22581b2115102fe5ed7ae54bcb4e&spa=1 subject line.

NOTE: Subawardees/subrecipients at all tiers must also obtain a UEI from the SAM and provide the UEI to the Prime Recipient before the subaward can be issued.

Applicants must register with Grants.gov.

Grants.gov website: https://grants.gov/.

Applicants must register with Grants.gov and set up their workspace in order to receive automatic updates, in the event that Amendments to this FOA are posted. However, please note that applications will not be accepted through Grants.gov. More information about the registration steps for Grants.gov is provided at:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration.html

Applicants must register with FedConnect.

FedConnect website: www.fedconnect.net.

In the event that an application is selected for negotiation of award, Applicants must be registered with FedConnect to receive the award. For more information regarding registration with FedConnect review the FedConnect Ready, Set, Go! Guide at GSAFSD_kb_articles - GSA Federal Service Desk Service Portal

Submission Requirements

All application submissions are to be made via the EERE eXCHANGE at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/. To gain access to the EERE eXCHANGE system, the applicant must first have a Login.gov account. Please note that the email address associated with Login.gov must match the email address associated with the eXCHANGE account. For more information, refer to the eXCHANGE Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Quick Guide in the Manuals section of eXCHANGE. This account will then allow the user to submit an application for open EERE Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) that are currently in EERE Exchange. Each organization or business unit, whether acting as a team or a single entity, should use only one account as the contact point for each submission. Applicants must also designate backup points of contact. This step is required to apply to this FOA.

Applicants will receive an automated response when the Application is received; this will serve as a confirmation of EERE receipt. Please do not reply to the automated response. A “User Guide” for the EERE eXCHANGE can be found on the EERE website at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/Manuals.aspx after logging in to the system.

To receive notices via email regarding an FOA in EERE Exchange, such as amendments to the announcement or the posting of new questions and answers from eXCHANGE you must initiate an application submission to the FOA of interest. Please note that you must finalize and submit your application before the specified due date and time to be considered for award.

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Questions

Questions related to the use of the EERE eXCHANGE website or technical issues concerning the application submittal should be submitted to: EERE-ExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov.

Questions related to the content of the Funding Opportunity Announcement must be submitted to: DE-FOA-0003248@netl.doe.gov and shall be submitted not later than three (3) business days prior to the application due date and time. Questions submitted after that date may not allow the Government sufficient time to respond.

All questions and answers related to the content of this FOA will be posted at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/FAQ.aspx. Applicants are encouraged to check the FAQ prior to submitting a question. DOE will try to respond to questions within 5 business days.

Applicants are encouraged to review the posted questions and answers daily. Please note that you must first select this FOA Number in order to view the questions and answers specific to this FOA.

mailto:DE-FOA-0003248@netl.doe.gov https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/FAQ.aspx https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/FAQ.aspx subject line.

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Table of Contents

Table of Contents ................................................................................................................................................ i

I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Background and Context

i. Background and Purpose

ii. Technology Space and Strategic Goals

B. Areas of Interest C. Applications Specifically Not of Interest D. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion E. Authorizing Statutes

II. Award Information

A. Award Overview

i. Estimated Funding

ii. Period of Performance

iii. New Applications Only

B. EERE Funding Agreements

i. Cooperative Agreements

ii. Funding Agreements with Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDCs)

III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants

i. Domestic Entities

ii. Foreign Entities

B. Cost Sharing

i. Legal Responsibility

ii. Cost Share Allocation

iii. Cost Share Types and Allowability

iv. Cost Share Contributions by FFRDCs

v. Cost Share Verification

vi. Cost Share Payment

C. Compliance Criteria D. Responsiveness Criteria E. Other Eligibility Requirements

i. Requirements for DOE/NNSA and Non-DOE/NNSA FFRDCs Included as a Subrecipient F. Limitation on Number of Concept Papers and Full Applications Eligible for Review G. Questions Regarding Eligibility

IV. Application and Submission Information

A. Application Process

i. Additional Information on EERE eXCHANGE

B. Application Forms C. Content and Form of the Concept Paper D. Content and Form of the Full Application

i. Full Application Content Requirements

ii. SF-424: Application for Federal Assistance

iii. Technical Volume

iv. Resumes

v. Letters of Commitment subject line.

ii

vi. Statement of Project Objectives (SOPO)

vii. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Plan

viii. Budget Justification Workbook

ix. Summary for Public Release

x. Summary Slide

xi. Subrecipient Budget Justification (if applicable)

xii. Budget for DOE/NNSA FFRDC (if applicable)

xiii. Authorization for Non-DOE/NNSA or DOE/NNSA FFRDCs (if applicable)

xiv. SF-LLL: Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

xv. Waiver Requests (if applicable)

xvi. Current and Pending Support

xvii. Locations of Work

xviii. Transparency of Foreign Connections

xix. Potentially Duplicative Funding Notice

xx. Data Management Plan

E. Post Selection Information Requests F. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and System for Award Management (SAM) G. Submission Dates and Times H. Intergovernmental Review I. Funding Restrictions

i. Allowable Costs

ii. Pre-Award Costs

iii. Performance of Work in the United States (Foreign Work Waiver)

iv. Construction

v. Foreign Travel

vi. Equipment and Supplies

vii. Build America Buy America Requirements for Infrastructure Projects

viii. Lobbying

ix. Risk Assessment

x. Invoice Review and Approval

xi. Prohibition Related to Foreign Government-Sponsored Talent Recruitment Programs

xii. Affirmative Action and Pay Transparency Requirements

xiii. Foreign Collaboration Considerations

V. Application Review Information

A. Technical Review Criteria

i. Concept Papers

ii. Full Applications

B. Standards for Application Evaluation C. Other Selection Factors

i. Program Policy Factors D. Evaluation and Selection Process

i. Overview

ii. Pre-Selection Clarification

iii. Recipient Responsibility and Qualifications

iv. Selection

E. Anticipated Notice of Selection and Award Negotiation Dates

VI. Award Administration Information

A. Award Notices

i. Ineligible Submissions

ii. Concept Paper Notifications

iii. Full Application Notifications subject line.

iii

iv. Applicants Selected for Award Negotiations

v. Alternate Selection Determinations

vi. Unsuccessful Applicants

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

i. Registration Requirements

ii. Award Administrative Requirements

iii. Foreign National Participation

iv. Subaward and Executive Reporting

v. National Policy Requirements

vi. Environmental Review in Accordance with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

vii. Flood Resilience

viii. Applicant Representations and Certifications

ix. Statement of Federal Stewardship

x. Statement of Substantial Involvement

xi. Subject Invention Utilization Reporting

xii. Intellectual Property Provisions

xiii. Reporting

xiv. Go/No-Go Review

xv. Conference Spending

xvi. Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) Financing Statements

xvii. Real Property and Equipment

xviii. Implementation of Executive Order 13798, Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty

xix. Participants and Collaborating Organizations

xx. Current and Pending Support

xxi. U.S. Manufacturing Commitments

xxii. Interim Conflict of Interest Policy for Financial Assistance

xxiii. Data Management Plan

xxiv. Fraud, Waste, and Abuse

xxv. Human Subjects Research

VII. Questions/Agency Contacts

VIII. Other Information

A. FOA Modifications B. Government Right to Reject or Negotiate C. Commitment of Public Funds D. Treatment of Application Information E. Evaluation and Administration by Non-Federal Personnel F. Notice Regarding Eligible/Ineligible Activities G. Notice of Right to Conduct a Review of Financial Capability H. Requirement for Full and Complete Disclosure I. Retention of Submissions J. Title to Subject Inventions K. Government Rights in Subject Inventions L. Rights in Technical Data M. Copyright N. Export Control O. Prohibition on Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment P. Personally Identifiable Information (PII) Q. Annual Independent Audits

Appendix A – Cost Share Information

Appendix B – Sample Cost Share Calculation for Blended Cost Share Percentage subject line.

iv

Appendix C – Waiver Requests For: 1. Foreign Entity Participation; and 2. Foreign Work

Appendix D – Required Use of American Iron, Steel, Manufactured Products, and Construction Materials Buy America Requirements for Infrastructure Projects

Appendix E – Definition of Technology Readiness Levels

Appendix F – List of Acronyms subject line.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Background and Context The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), on behalf of the Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO), is issuing a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) entitled, “Fiscal Year 2024 Vehicle Technologies Office Program Wide Funding Opportunity Announcement”. The activities supported by this FOA are authorized under Public Law (P.L.) 109-58, the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005), as amended, Section 911 (codified at 42 U.S.C. § 16191).

Awards made under this announcement will fall under the purview of 2 CFR Part 200 as amended by 2 CFR Part 910.

i. Background and Purpose

This FOA supports the administration goals of building a clean and equitable energy economy and addressing the climate crisis which is a top priority of the Biden Administration. This FOA will advance transportation sector decarbonization to achieve the overall goal of economy-wide decarbonization by 2050. The Department of Energy is committed to pushing the frontiers of science and engineering, catalyzing clean energy jobs through research, development, demonstration, and deployment (RDD&D), and ensuring environmental justice and inclusion of underserved communities.

The research and development (R&D) activities to be funded under this FOA will support the government-wide approach to the climate crisis by driving the innovation and deploying clean transportation technologies, all while maintaining transportation service quality and safety.

ii. Technology Space and Strategic Goals This funding opportunity announcement (FOA) seeks research projects to address priorities in the following areas: the increase in energy density of battery cells containing phosphate-based cathodes; the development of innovative technologies capable of significantly decreasing greenhouse gases; the production and manufacturing of new high-performance E–steels using domestic resources; the advancement of state of the art Na-ion batteries; the improvement of efficiency and convenience of the mobility-system using V2X;

the development of planning tools and/or models to identify, quantify, and assess the impact of convenience strategies on regions and/or communities;

addressing vulnerabilities and potential cybersecurity threats posed by the nature of EVs and charging infrastructure integrated with the grid, to improve fuel economy and reduce GHG emissions with the goals of carbon pollution free electricity by 2035 and net-zero of GHG emissions by 2050.

subject line.

Detailed technical descriptions of the specific topics are provided in the sections that follow.

B. Areas of Interest

Area of Interest Number

Area of Interest Title

1 Next Generation Phosphate-Based Cathodes 2 Na-ion Battery Seedling Projects for Electric Vehicle Applications 3 Low GHG Concepts for Off-Road Vehicles 4 Saving Energy with Connectivity 5 Domestically Produced E-Steels 6 Cybersecurity for Smart and Secure Electric Vehicle Charging subject line.

Area of Interest 1: Next Generation Phosphate-Based Cathodes

Introduction The most common cathodes being used in commercial electric vehicles are lithium NMC due to their high specific energy and durability. Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP, LiFePO4) cathodes are currently gaining traction as an alternative low-cost solution because they don’t contain any critical materials such as cobalt and nickel. The technology has demonstrated long cycle and calendar life as well as safety tolerance. However, LFP’s energy density is limited due to its lower specific capacity and nominal voltage.

Objective This area of interest (AOI) targets the development of phosphate-based cathode materials that surpass the performance of state-of-the-art LFP cathode materials. The primary objective of this area of interest is to develop high energy density battery cells containing phosphate-based cathodes at the material and cell level.

Additionally, the proposed material should strive to show powder and electrode coating scalability, processability and reproducibility for manufacturing as demonstrated by the delivery of high energy density cells. While improvements to the cathode material are desired, the cost target of the next-generation phosphate material should be comparable to industrial grade LFP.

The proposed R&D plan should resolve challenges in developing much denser material than LFP, and with improved slurry quality resulting in enhanced electrode packing density and higher cell level energy density.

The targets for the cell performance are identified in the table below:

Performance Targets for Next-generation Li-ion Batteries

Beginning of Life Characteristics at 30°C Cell Level Cathode Powder

Useable Specific Energy @ C/3 >20% LFP cell energy density >550 Wh/Kg

Calendar Life (< 80% energy fade) >10 years

Cycle Life (C/3 deep discharge with <20% energy fade) at 30 °C

>1,000

Cost <$80/kWh* ~$10/kg *$100/kWh At the pack level

Anticipated technology approaches include, but are not limited to:

• Commercially available LMFP with an effort on improving processability and reproducibility of electrode manufacturing;

• High Mn content Lithium Manganese Iron phosphate (LMFP) cathode material; and

• Other novel phosphate cathode materials subject line.

General Requirements

1. Include plans to demonstrate increased energy density of next-generation

Phosphate based cathode material compared to current state-of-the-art LiFePO4;

2. Include plans to demonstrate increased full cell performance of next-generation

Phosphate based cathode compared to current state-of-the-art LiFePO4 full cells;

3. Identify the cell components’ composition/construction with a focus on the next-generation Phosphate based material, but also describe and justify the choice of graphite anode material(s) and electrolyte solution(s) composition. The cathode composition/construction must be described;

4. Electrolyte stability should be addressed, but not studied as a main focal point of the proposed work;

5. Quantify and qualify electrode packing density, loading achieved and quality.

The following quality control tests are not exhaustive or restrictive:

a) Electrode flexibility when bent or wrapped around a mandrel;

b) Electrode adhesion;

c) Electrode camber;

d) Electrode resistivity;

e) Electrode cross section to evaluate packing density;

f) Electrode- to electrolyte wetting tests;

g) Slurry stability versus time (Ex: Identify slurry gelling issues).

6. Describe the materials and component optimization pathway that achieves cell performance requirements;

7. Demonstrate an understanding of the major issues and barriers impeding the use of the proposed cell chemistry, and how the particular barrier(s) will be overcome during the proposed project;

8. Identify performance targets that represent the highest risk for achievement during the project and the strategies to mitigate these risks;

9. Describe the testing and diagnostics to be performed to understand performance and life issues for the targeted active cathode material:

a) Indicate if data is from half-cells or paired with a graphite material;

b) Full cell data is preferred, however in the event only half-cell data is available coulombic efficiency must be included;

c) Include the electrode loading (mAh/cm2) of all cell performance data;

d) Indicate what temperature the experiments were performed at as well as the upper and lower voltage used for cycling the cell.

10. Include plans to annually participate in the VTO Annual Merit Review in Washington, DC and an annual U.S. DRIVE Electrochemical Energy Storage Technical Team Meeting in Southfield, MI;

11. For both the pulse power capabilities Project Progress Cells (PPCs) and partial charge carbon Project Completion Cells (PCCs), the cells delivered to DOE will be tested according to the protocol provided below:

subject line.

Cell Testing Protocol Number of Cells Test Type Test Protocol

3 Cycle Life C/3 cycle life at 30°C 3 Thermal Cycling* C/3 cycle life at 50°C

3 Calendar Life at 100% SOC Calendar life testing at 30°C

3 Calendar Life at 100% SOC Calendar life testing at 40°C

3 Calendar Life at 100% SOC Calendar life testing at 50°C

*The thermal cycling protocol will be specified by the applicant in consultation with

DOE.

Teaming Arrangements None

Deliverables In addition to the deliverables required in the Federal Assistance Reporting Requirements Checklist, the following deliverables are required for awards made under this topic:

1. Eighteen (18) PPCs of ≥500 mAhr delivered to a to-be-designated DOE testing laboratory for performance testing at midpoint of the project length. Anode material is limited to graphite;

2. Eighteen (18) PCCs of ≥1 Ahr delivered to a to-be-designated DOE testing laboratory for performance testing at the end of the project. Anode material is limited to graphite;

3. Report and associated data resulting from at least thirty (30) days of PPC retained cell testing following test protocols approved by the DOE. This data will be shared with the testing lab;

4. Include plans to obtain at least 30 days of cycle life and calendar life (30oC and 50oC) test data from the retained cells prior to shipment of the deliverable cells to DOE;

5. Report associated data resulting from at least thirty (30) days of PCC retained cell testing following test protocols approved by the DOE. This data will be shared with the testing lab.

Note: All midpoint cell deliverables must be greater than 500mAh . All final cell deliverables must be greater than 1Ah. Deliverables with the highest capacity possible are strongly encouraged. It is acceptable to deliver cells that do not meet performance targets, as long as the cell components (electrodes with similar active material content, porosity, thickness, loading, etc. and separator thickness) in the delivered cells, when scaled to automotive size (40Ah or greater) are capable of meeting the targets: i.e., an applicant will not be penalized for packaging inefficiencies of small cells, but needs to deliver cells with automotive relevant electrodes, separators, and electrolyte volume.

subject line.

All deliverable cells shall be provided to DOE for validation testing at a designated DOE National Laboratory. Non-Destructive Performance Validation testing will be conducted on the cells to validate performance. This testing will be conducted outside the Statement of Project Objectives (SOPO) for the cooperative agreement and therefore should not be addressed in the SOPO nor included in the total estimated project costs associated with the application. Test procedures for the delivered cells will be agreed to between the Applicant, the test lab, and the government. Participation by a DOE National Laboratory in test planning and execution will be addressed by a Nondisclosure Agreement (NDA) between the national laboratory and the end item manufacturer. Test procedures will be provided by the Applicant and shall incorporate specifications and limits supplied by the manufacturer for the specific technology such as voltage and current limits, state of charge, charging, temperature recommendations, number of test sequences, and/or other relevant test conditions as appropriate. The results of the DOE national laboratory testing may be documented in a publicly releasable Summary Test Report (approved by both DOE and the Applicant prior to release) that validates performance of the deliverables relative to the end item performance targets as well as the technology deployment impact relative to DOE strategic goals. The Summary Test Report will be approved by, and delivered to, DOE (Vehicle Technologies Office) and end item manufacturer. Test cells or special test equipment supplied by the end item manufacturer for the purposes of the test will be returned or disposed of at the conclusion of testing at no cost to the Applicant or the project.

Applications Discouraged subject line.

Area of Interest 2: Na-ion Battery Seedling Projects for Electric Vehicle Applications

In 2022, Li-ion battery pack prices increased for the first time in a decade which was driven by price instability in key raw materials including lithium, nickel, and cobalt. While shifting to alternative cathode materials like lithium iron phosphate (LFP) can alleviate the impact of nickel and cobalt, the impact of lithium has not been adequately addressed. One alternative to lithium is sodium. Supply concerns with sodium are drastically reduced given it is over 1,000 times more abundant than lithium in the Earth’s crust and over 100,000 times more abundant in the oceans. The United States is particularly well situated for the adoption of sodium due to producing 14.5% of sodium chloride (salt) globally and 68.8% of natural sodium carbonate (soda ash) globally. Recently, Na-ion batteries have shown favorable performance metrics and with additional R&D could match the performance of commercialized LFP chemistries. These advancements when coupled with potential cost and safety improvements present a promising new chemistry that could reduce the electric vehicle (EV) sector’s dependence on lithium. The US would further benefit from a diversification of battery technology that would prove to be resilient toward future market and supply chain disruptions as well as the continued electrification of society.

While there is much promise for Na-ion chemistries, key issues still limit their adoption. On the anode side, hard carbon is the material of choice, but inconsistent material processing has led to high variability in performance. Layered oxides are the dominate cathode due to their similarity with Li-ion cathodes, but these materials display sloping and step voltage-profile features that lead to reduced energy density and performance. For the electrolyte, poor SEI forming characteristics limit the ability to protect the active material surfaces leading to a decline in performance.

Objective This objective of this area of interest is to advance the state of the art for Na-ion batteries by solving key challenges for the cathode, anode, or electrolyte through the development of 1 Ah full cells utilizing cell chemistries that are significant advancements over current industry state-of-the-art Na-ion technology.

subject line.

The developed cells must meet the following targets:

Table 1: Performance Targets for Na-ion Cell Deliverables

Initial Cell Capacity ≥1 Ah Cell Specific Energy Density* ≥160 Wh/kg Cell Cycle Life ≥1,000 cycles with 80% initial capacity Cathode Specific Capacity ≥200 mAh/g Cathode Nominal Voltage ≥3.5 V Anode Specific Capacity ≥300 mAh/g Anode Nominal Voltage ≤0.2 V Electrolyte Ionic Conductivity ≥10 mS/cm

*When scaled to automotive sizes (40 Ah or greater)

General Requirements Proposed work should address at least one of the key areas of cathode, anode, or electrolyte development in high energy full cell systems that rival commercial LFP systems. Electrode development should look to address challenges with sloping and step-voltage profiles in materials that have well-defined sodiation mechanisms. Electrolyte development should focus on SEI formation while maintaining high safety performance. Material development should put emphasis on utilizing low cost, non-critical materials without supply chain concerns as much as possible.

All proposals must:

1. Identify the cell components’ composition/construction and describe and justify the choice of cathode/anode material(s) including conductive components, catalysts (if any), binder, and electrolyte composition;

2. Identify major issues impeding the proposed cell chemistry and the specific barriers to be overcome during the research effort to reach the deliverable targets for energy density and cycle life;

3. Describe how the proposed effort is different than past and current research efforts;

4. Include supporting theoretical predictions and/or relevant experimental data supporting performance claims;

5. Indicate if data is from half-cells or paired with a relevant cathode/anode; full cell data is preferred, however in the event only half cell data is available coulombic efficiency must be included:

a. Include the electrode loading (mAh/cm2 and mgcm2) and composition (weight %), and electrolyte loading (µL/mg) and electrolyte composition of all cell performance data; and

b. Indicate what temperature the experiments were performed at as well as the upper and lower voltage and the c-rate for cycling the cell.

6. Identify performance targets that represent the highest risk for achievement during the project and the strategies to mitigate these risks;

subject line.

7. The cell specific energy milestone of this topic is 160 Wh/kg, but to remain competitive with phosphate cathodes in Li-ion cells, higher energy densities will be required. Detail a viable strategy to achieve 190 Wh/kg or higher through improvements to cell design such as lean electrolyte formulations, high electrode loadings, etc. that is compatible with the materials and design that will be pursued to meet the 160 Wh/kg deliverable;

8. Describe the testing and diagnostics planned to characterize, investigate, and mitigate issues; and

9. Go-No Go decision points based on internal full cell test results demonstrating progress towards final targets must be included in the SOPO.

1. Five ≥1 Ah cells meeting the above requirements to be delivered to DOE for independent testing; and

2. At least one month of testing data for all deliverable cell builds will be carried out by the Applicant following test protocols approved by the DOE. This data will be shared with DOE and the testing lab prior to deliverable shipment to the testing laboratory.

Note: All cell deliverables must be greater than 1 Ah. It is acceptable to deliver cells that do not meet performance targets, as long as the cell components (electrodes with similar active material content, porosity, thickness, loading, etc. and separator thickness) in the delivered cells, when scaled to automotive size (40Ah or greater) are capable of meeting the targets. An applicant will not be penalized for packaging inefficiencies of small cells, but needs to deliver cells with automotive relevant electrodes, separators, and electrolyte volume. If the deliverable cells do not meet performance targets, a model validating the proposed scaling factors will also be required for final cells.

All cells shall be provided to the DOE for validation testing at a to-be-designated DOE National Laboratory. Non-Destructive Performance Validation testing will be conducted on the cells to validate performance. This testing will be conducted outside the scope of the proposed project and should not be included in the total estimated project costs included with the application.

Participation by a DOE National Laboratory in test planning and execution will be addressed by a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) between the National Laboratory and the Applicant.

Test procedures will be provided by the Applicant and shall incorporate specifications and limits supplied by the manufacturer for the specific technology such as voltage and current limits, state of charge, charging, and temperature recommendations, number of test sequences, and/or other relevant test conditions as appropriate. The results of the DOE national laboratory testing may be documented in a publicly releasable Summary Test Report (approved by both DOE and the Applicant prior to release) that validates performance of the deliverables relative subject line.

to the end item performance targets as well as the technology deployment impact relative to DOE strategic goals. The Summary Test Report will be approved by the DOE (Vehicle Technologies Office) and the Applicant. Test cells or special test equipment supplied by the end item manufacturer for the purposes of the test will be returned or disposed of at the conclusion of testing at no cost to the project.

Applications Discouraged Applications utilizing cathode active materials with cobalt, lithium, or high nickel content (>60%); sodium metal anodes; or solid-state electrolytes.

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Area of Interest 3: Low-GHG Concepts for Off-Road Vehicles

Off-road vehicles used for industry and agriculture consume more than 2 quadrillion BTUs of energy. They are a substantial source of greenhouse gases (GHG) and criteria emissions, including nitrogen oxides and fine particulate matter that contribute to poor air quality. Off-road vehicles have unique requirements for durability, power/torque density, daily run times, and operation in remote and harsh locations. These requirements are typically met by using compression-ignition engines running on diesel fuel and fluid-power systems (hydraulics) for the work and/or drive circuits. Fluid power systems utilize throttling for control, which leads to low over-all efficiency. Deep reductions in the GHG emissions from these vehicles can be achieved by partial or full vehicle electrification or by using low-carbon fuels including hydrogen, propane, natural gas, and dimethyl ether.

Objective The objective of the topic area is to develop and validate technology concepts capable of significantly decreasing GHGs, energy use, harmful criteria emissions, and total cost of ownership across the entire off-road vehicle sector, including construction, agriculture, mining, forestry, ports, warehouses, etc. Concepts must demonstrate they can meet the unique requirements for off-road vehicles and gain customer acceptance.

Approaches may include, but are not limited to:

• Technologies that reduce GHG emissions through increased utilization of low-carbon fuels including hydrogen, propane, natural gas, and dimethyl ether, and by partial or full vehicle electrification while meeting prevailing criteria emissions standards and maintaining similar durability to current off-road vehicles;

• Technologies that represent a breakthrough in the efficiency of fluid power systems and are widely applicable across the off-road sector;

• Technologies which address specific barriers (e.g., impacts on fuel injection equipment/aftertreatment systems, material/component selections for hydrogen combustion engines, powertrain hybridization, etc.) to utilizing a low-carbon fuel that is, or will be, widely available;

• Technologies which greatly increase the efficiency of compression ignition engines used in off-road vehicles when operating on low-carbon fuels;

• Technologies that automate vehicle operation and/or movements to maximize their efficiency.

Applications must:

1. Include an estimate of the applicability of the proposed technology across the off-road sector;

2. Include an estimate of efficiency improvement and/or GHG reduction when compared to the baseline off-road sector vehicle;

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3. Include an estimate of criteria emissions impacts;

4. Include a cost analysis of the proposed technologies that justifies any claimed reduction in the total cost of ownership;

5. Include an explanation of how durability, manufacturability and customer acceptance will be evaluated; and

6. Include a detailed test plan, including duty cycle, to demonstrate the benefit of the developed technology, the plan should consist of two phases:

• Phase 1 – Technology Development: (Not to exceed two budget periods) This phase should culminate in a Go/No-Go milestone that provides a proof-of-concept and validation of the new technology leading to GHG and criteria emissions improvement.

• Phase 2 – Demonstration: (At least one budget period), this phase should include integration of the technology and demonstration of the GHG reduction benefits on a test-bed that can simulate the relevant duty-cycles (regulatory and/or real world), or on a vehicle.

7. Include a plan for participation in the VTO Annual Merit Review, typically held in Washington, DC.

Applicant teams are encouraged to include an off-road vehicle Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and/or Tier 1 supplier.

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Area of Interest 4: Saving Energy with Connectivity

Research has shown that vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications can lead to meaningful energy savings at the vehicle and transportation system level by integrating interoperable vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), and vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P) communications.1,2,3 Energy savings can be achieved with interoperable, cooperative messaging in a system with advanced driver assist, autonomous systems, and human operated vehicles.

Historically, there has been uncertainty about the timeline for deployment of this technology, which stalled market adoption. Now that there has been some clarity on the use of the safety spectrum (e.g., 30 MHz within the 5.9 GHz spectrum), and that the technology platform will include Long-Term Evolution (LTE) Cellular-V2X (LTE C-V2X),4 the time has come to accelerate the deployment of interoperable V2X connectivity to save energy and enhance safety.

In October 2023, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) released a draft deployment plan (“Savings Lives with Connectivity: A Plan to Accelerate V2X Deployment”) with short-, medium-, and long-term goals and targets to achieve interoperable connectivity at a national scale. The plan was accompanied by a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to accelerate funding and investment to deploy this technology to enhance safety. This draft deployment plan and NOFO complements other DOT grant programs including Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) and Advanced Transportation Technology and Innovation (ATTAIN) grant programs to improve transportation efficiency and safety. As part of a whole-of-government approach, the Energy Efficient Mobility Systems’ (EEMS’) AOI 4 supports and is aligned with DOT’s efforts.

By making a push now for national interoperable connectivity, the U.S. will lay the foundation to invest in infrastructure and systems to save energy, reduce congestion, enhance safety, and modernize fleets to provide improved vehicle and traffic integration. This will save energy and enhance safety of the near-term vehicle fleet, and will also achieve energy, environmental, and safety benefits as the overall vehicle fleet becomes more automated. For example, adaptive cruise control (ACC) has been shown to increase fuel consumption on average across the fleet, 1 Connected Eco-Driving Technologies for Adaptive Traffic Signal Control” (2019) Xin, Wuping; Moonam, Hasan;

Ala, Mani Venkat;

https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/40886 2 T. Ard, L. Guo, J. Han, Y. Jia, A. Vahidi, and D. Karbowski, “Energy-Efficient Driving in Connected Corridors Via Minimum Principle Control: Vehicle-in-The-Loop Experimental Verification in Mixed Fleets,” IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Vehicles, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 1279–1291, 2023, doi: 10.1109/TIV.2023.3234261.

3 ITS Deployment Evaluation Program's Benefits, Costs, and Lessons Learned databases 4 ITS/V2X Communications for Deployment | U.S. Department of Transportation https://www.its.dot.gov/research_areas/emerging_tech/pdf/Accelerate_V2X_Deployment.pdf http://grants.gov/search-results-detail/350731 https://www.transportation.gov/grants/SMART https://www.transportation.gov/grants/SMART https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/bipartisan-infrastructure-law/index.htm https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/bipartisan-infrastructure-law/index.htm https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/40886 https://www.itskrs.its.dot.gov/its-map?search_api_fulltext=dsrc&posted%5Bmin%5D=&posted%5Bmax%5D=&f%5B0%5D=arc_it%3A43488&f%5B1%5D=goal_areas%3A41856 https://www.its.dot.gov/research_areas/emerging_tech/htm/Next_landing.htm subject line.

unless paired with V2X communications of the vehicles which provides additional energy savings to both the connected and surrounding vehicles.5 Objective The objective of Area of Interest 4 is to develop and deploy V2X technologies with a focus on the efficiency and convenience of the mobility ecosystem, while reducing transportation’s environmental impacts. Examples could include but are not limited to: eco-driving along connected corridors, transit or freight priority, integrated corridor management, or passenger or freight trip-chaining optimization.6

To realize the benefits of interoperable connectivity with V2X, the use of the foundational set of messages, such as the basic safety message (BSM), signal phase and timing (SPaT), and map data (MAP) is required.7 Additional application-specific message sets may be necessary for achieving the intended energy and environmental benefits. When combined, these message sets will inform vehicles and traffic management centers in real-time to achieve greater safety and system efficiencies and could be used for future analysis and system planning.

C-V2X communication devices employed under this FOA must be interoperable; this means that in-vehicle, infrastructure, roadside, and other devices must be able to communicate ubiquitously, efficiently, and securely regardless of the variety of the make or model of devices.

Research may include simulation and hardware testing of complex V2X communications, including bandwidth and latency requirements in various settings, and culminate in the deployment of hardware in settings controlled by State and local governments, serving as a model for deployment by other Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), tribes, local agencies, or States. Research should leverage current and past connected vehicle work with recognition of current standards and/or specifications in progress.

General Requirements Applications must:

1. Proposals to this FOA must include a real-world field testing or early deployment and should address long-term operations and maintenance of the deployed systems;

2. Deployments must exhibit cybersecure awareness within their technologies and systems; and should demonstrate an understanding of threat mitigation technology;

3. Proposals must include mixed fleets in at least one of the following attributes:

powertrain, automation, connectivity, or vehicle class. Battery electric vehicles are encouraged;

4. Proposals must define project baseline and greenhouse gas emissions (especially given COVID-19 disruptions to both time series);

5 Adaptive Cruise Control Real World Energy Consumption - Vehicle & Mobility Systems Department - Argonne National Laboratory (anl.gov) 6 Other demonstrated, proven services or applications can be found in the National ITS Architecture.

https://www.arc-it.net/ 7 V2X Communications Metric Set Dictionary https://vms.taps.anl.gov/research-highlights/adaptive-cruise-control-real-world-energy-consumption/ https://vms.taps.anl.gov/research-highlights/adaptive-cruise-control-real-world-energy-consumption/ https://www.arc-it.net/html/servicepackages/servicepackages-areaspsort.html https://www.arc-it.net/ https://www.sae.org/standards/content/j2735set_202211/ subject line.

5. Proposals must describe attributes of the vehicles used in the deployment – for example, level of automation (SAE Levels 0 – 5)8 and class of connectivity (SAE Class A-D)9, classes of vehicles, and the powertrain technology;

6. Deployments must include a form of interoperable V2X connectivity10 that uses either:

a. C-V2X using PC5 mode (direct communication with vehicles or infrastructure, as described in the SAE J3161 family of standards) in the 5.9 GHz band;

b. Cellular Uu mode (communications are transmitted through a cellular network, either 4G or 5G);

c. Unlicensed Wi-Fi;

d. Satellite;

e. Other emerging options such as ultra-wideband (with appropriate technical description about how it would work); or

f. Any combination of the above.

The type of wireless communications and its security to be used should be clearly specified. When using the C-V2X PC5 communications, use of the IEEE

1609.2.1 security credential management is required.

7. Proposals must include and describe community engagement activities including partnerships that result in community-driven strategic plans that define community goals and strategies for reducing mobility system carbon emissions and/or pollution (e.g., listening session, needs assessment, or strategic planning discussions);

8. Applications and services employed in research or deployments are encouraged to address disparities in transportation equity;

9. Proposals must quantify the expected energy, mobility, and/or affordability benefits that would result from the deployment of the technology to be developed, supported by analysis, modeling, or simulation results as appropriate;

10. Proposals must describe how data generated by the project will quantify the energy, mobility, environmental, affordability and equity gains that result from the proposed technology, describe which metrics will be used, and how the project team will share this data with DOE and its National Laboratories through the Livewire Data Platform (https://livewire.energy.gov);

11. Proposals must describe how they will document the detailed benefits gained and costs incurred throughout the project and share with DOE;

12. Proposals must describe the project outreach plan to communicate results, including lessons learned, best practices, cost and benefits, and case studies, to educate the broader transportation community;

8 Taxonomy and Definitions for Terms Related to Driving Automation Systems for On-Road Motor Vehicles J3016_202104 9 Taxonomy and Definitions for Terms Related to Cooperative Driving Automation for On-Road Motor Vehicles J3216_202107 10 See https://5gaa.org/c-v2x-explained/ for an industry explanation of C-V2X; see https://www.its.dot.gov/research_areas/emerging_tech/htm/Next_landing.htm for the US DOT’s testing and analysis of C-V2X.

https://www.sae.org/standards/content/j3016_202104/ https://www.sae.org/standards/content/j3016_202104/ https://www.sae.org/standards/content/j3216_202107/ https://www.sae.org/standards/content/j3216_202107/ https://5gaa.org/c-v2x-explained/ https://www.its.dot.gov/research_areas/emerging_tech/htm/Next_landing.htm subject line.

13. Proposals must include a plan for participation in the Annual Merit Review held in Washington DC;

14. Proposals must describe the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) or other standards or specifications that will be implemented, and will further describe how the research and/or lessons learned in deployment will be documented to inform the US DOE and DOT about the gaps in standards or specifications, identify any new messages sets developed and used to address the gaps during the project, or document other information that can lead to the adaption of existing standards or development of new standards;

15. Proposals must include plans to provide input to the VTO Annual Report.

Teaming Arrangements Applicant teams must include a local agency or state agency or other entity (e.g., university) with authority to approve an on-road demonstration of the technology. Partnerships with OEMs and Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) are encouraged to ensure industry acceptance, which is needed for large scale deployment. Solutions need to be interoperable across platforms, so they have the potential to be scaled.

Deliverables

1. Recipients will work with the DOE Technology Manager to provide all relevant modeling, testing, and validation data produced in the project validation and deployment phase to the to the EEMS Livewire Data Platform…