# Advanced Vehicles: A Leap Towards Greener Future - Link: https://greenlivingguy.com/2010/12/advanced-vehicles-a-leap-towards-greener-future/ - Published: 2010-12-31T01:06:20-05:00 - Author: greenlivingguy ## Secretary Chu Announces $184 Million for Advanced Vehicle Research – This is HUGE for Our Green Future! Hey there, let’s talk advanced vehicles my green warriors! I’m here, your Green Living Guy, and I’ve also have news that definitely make my happy! Secretary Chu just announced that the Department of Energy is making up to $184 million available for advanced vehicle research and development. I’m telling you, folks; for this is most definitely and exactly the kind of bold investment we need. Especially to accelerate our journey toward a cleaner transportation future! ### Why I’m So Excited About This Funding First off, let me just say – $184 million is no small potatoes! This serious chunk of change is going to fund research projects across three critical areas that I’ve been passionate about for years: 1. Advanced materials for lighter-weight vehicles (because less weight = better efficiency!) 2. Advanced battery development for plug-in electric vehicles (the backbone of our EV revolution!) 3. Power electronics and electric motors (the unsung heroes making EVs possible!) As someone who’s been living and breathing green transportation for years, I can tell you this funding targets exactly the right areas we need to advance if we want to see widespread adoption of clean vehicles. ![Excited engineers in a cutting edge ev research lab working on next gen battery tech and lightweight materials this is where secretary chu&aposs 4 million investment comes to life The future of green transportation being built right before our eyes# cleanenergyrevolution](https://i0.wp.com/greenlivingguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/ 12/IMG_1516.png?resize=300%2C300&quality=50&ssl=1 "Cutting edge electric vehicles- The Green Living Guy") AI ## The Big-Picture Impact on Our Economy & Environment Here’s what gets me really fired up: Secretary Chu absolutely gets it. He recognizes that these investments aren’t just good for the environment – they’re crucial for America’s economic competitiveness too! “Advanced technologies will be critical to the efficient, clean vehicles of tomorrow,” Chu said. And he’s 100% right – the global auto industry is shifting toward cleaner tech, and this funding helps ensure America stays at the forefront of innovation. I’ve been saying for years that green technology is where the jobs of the future are. For this $184 million investment isn’t just helping our planet. I mean it’s most definitely creating good-paying jobs in advanced manufacturing and engineering. Most importantly: right here in the USA. That’s certainly a win-win if I’ve ever seen one! ### What This Means for YOU and Your Next Car Let’s break this down to what matters for everyday folks like you and me. These research projects will ultimately lead to: * Electric vehicles that can go farther on a single charge * More affordable EVs through better manufacturing techniques * Lighter, more fuel-efficient vehicles, that’s even if you’re not ready to go fully electric * Charging infrastructure that makes owning an EV as convenient as a gas car I’ve test-driven just about every green vehicle out there. Therefore, I can tell you the technology is already impressive. However, without this kind of focused investment, we wouldn’t expect to see some serious leaps forward. Most notably, in the next few years. ### My Take: This is Just the Beginning for Advanced Vehicles What truly excites me about this announcement is that it signals the DOE’s serious commitment to [transforming our transportation sector](https://greenlivingguy.com/2011/04/green-fleet-revolution-transforming-corporate-sustainability/). This $184 million is part of a broader strategy to reduce our dependence on foreign oil while slashing emissions with advanced vehicles. The funding will be awarded to a variety of teams from private industry, universities, and national laboratories. Thereby we are most certainly bringing together the brightest minds to solve our biggest transportation challenges. I’ll most certainly be watching closely to see which specific projects receive funding, and you can bet I’ll be sharing updates as these technologies develop. For the road to sustainable transportation is being paved with investments like these, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to see our government stepping up! So finally: what do you think about this investment in green [advanced vehicle technology](https://greenlivingguy.com/2014/01/advanced-vehicle-technology-funding-for-clean-energy/)? Are you excited about the future of electric vehicles? Drop me a comment below because I’d love to hear your thoughts! ![author avatar](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/df91669667126e1290c21ee0342c386e2da19d588d4d9ca6560bd82ed59a9641? s=300&d=monsterid&r=g) greenlivingguy The Green Living Guy, Seth Leitman is an independent power producer, a green living expert, and Editor of the McGraw-Hill, TAB Green Guru Guides. Seth is also an Author, Radio Host, Reporter, Writer and an Environmental Consultant on green living. The Green Living Guy writes about green living, green lighting, the green guru guides and more. Seth's books range from: # Build Your Own Electric Vehicle by Bob Brant and Seth Leitman (2nd and 3rd editions) # Build Your Own Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle by Seth Leitman # Build Your Own Electric Motorcycle by Carl Vogel # Green Lighting by Seth Leitman, Brian Clark Howard and Bill Brinsky # Solar Power For Your Home by David Findley # Renewable Energies For Your Home by Russel Gehrke # Do-it-Yourself Home Energy Audits by David Findley # Build Your Own Small Wind Power System by Brian Clark Howard and Kevin Shea # and more green living books to follow. [See Full Bio](https://greenlivingguy.com/author/greenlivingguy/) [ ](https://greenlivingguy.com/author/greenlivingguy/)