The funding is being allocated to the government’s Zero Emission Buses Regional Area (ZEBRA, now ZEBRA 2) Scheme, initially launched in 2021 to allow local transport authorities to bid for funding for zero-emission buses and supporting infrastructure.

The Department of Energy claims that, by funding these projects, it will facilitate the production of up to 50,000 new medium- and heavy-duty trucks and the supply of enough hydrogen to fuel nearly 170,000 long haul trucks in a single year.

According to the EU, the dates of application depend on vehicle type: “30 months for new types of cars and vans, and 42 months for new cars and vans. 48 months for new types of buses, trucks and trailers, and 60 months for new buses, lorries and trailers. 30 months for new systems, components or separate technical units to be fitted in cars and vans, and 48 months for those to be fitted in buses, lorries and trailers.”

The most recent investment of USD300,000 is the third such (not including the grants) made by the state research authority in Viatec, totalling USD750,000 over six years.

New York Mayor, Eric Adams, announced USD 77 million in federal funding for the New York School Bus Incentive Program (NYSBIP), which provides subsidies to help NY school districts fund the acquisition of 180 new electric school buses.

The first project is a joint program with Czech truck manufacturer, Tatra Trucks to co-develop a specialised off-road truck prototype called the “Battery Electric Tatra Truck” with multi-speed Transmission (BETTT). Eaton will be responsible for the development of the power distribution unit (PDU) and 4-speed EV transmission.

The EPA’s latest “Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Heavy-Duty Vehicles”, now in its third phase, stipulates the maximum permitted emissions in grams per ton-mile that will be allowed for each subcategory of vehicle – divided according to its weight and application.

The 1,000th ‘Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley’ electric vehicle was delivered as part of an order for 8 electric school buses, which were reportedly funded through the ‘Clean School Bus’ federal grant programme.

Ballard has announced plans for a USD 200 million twenty-two acre fuel cell production Gigafactory (“Ballard Rockwall Giga 1”) in Rockwall, Texas. Ballard has confirmed that USD 40 million in subsidies/grants is expected from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office, through the Clean Hydrogen Electrolysis, Manufacturing, and Recycling Program.

Delegates of Hydrogen UK’s annual conference, held at the National Conference Centre in Birmingham on 12 March, left the event with no doubts about the future of the burgeoning hydrogen economy. Opening the conference, Clare Jackson, CEO of Hydrogen UK, declared that “net zero is not possible without hydrogen”. The burning question is, will the UK have any significant part in its development?

According to Motiv, the electric shuttle bus received an overall score of 89.1 out of 100, which it claims is the highest score ever achieved for a medium-duty electric bus tested in a 7 year / 200,000 miles or higher service-life category.

Kempower has won a grant for EUR 10 million from Business Finland, a state development agency, to develop a heavy-duty electric truck charging network across the country. The government funds will be paid over five years, whilst an additional EUR 20 million will finance future projects under the charging infrastructure development programme (Heavy Electric Traffic Ecosystem).