The Shifting Forward Vehicle Technologies Research and Development Act directs the Department of Energy to establish a comprehensive research program on advanced vehicle technologies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and lowering manufacturing costs across 18 research areas, including electric vehicles, batteries, fuel cells, lightweight materials, and autonomous systems, with special emphasis on domestic manufacturing and critical material supply chains. The bill also establishes up to seven university-based research centers to train graduate students and engineers in these advanced technologies, with requirements that at least two centers be led by or include Historically Black Colleges and Universities, minority-serving institutions, or Tribal colleges. The legislation extends this research focus to nonroad transportation sectors such as aviation, rail, and maritime through alternative fuels and energy efficiency improvements. Funding for these research and demonstration activities will increase from $530 million in fiscal year 2027 to $644.2 million by fiscal year 2031, with university research center grants of $8.3 million authorized annually through fiscal year 2031. Overall, the bill represents a sustained federal investment in vehicle technology innovation over the next five years to support the nation's transition toward cleaner transportation.
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