The purpose of ZERO is to work with U.S. industry to remove obstacles on the critical path to the wider adoption of zero emission technology in public transportation. Examples include improving charging standards for battery-electric transit vehicles, improved passenger compartment heating systems, or expanding hydrogen infrastructure. For purposes of this program, zero emission technology refers to any technology that provides a pathway to the immediate or eventual adoption of transit vehicles that produce no harmful emissions in any, and all, operating modes. Battery-electric and hydrogen fuel cell technology are typical examples.
Not all pathways to zero emission vehicles have to be zero emission, but they have to be shown to be on an evolutionary pathway to zero emission. For example, hybrid technology is considered zero emission technology for the purposes of this program if it can be shown to advance the pathway to improved vehicle electrification. This program focuses on one aspect of transportation emissions”those of systems under the control of a typical domestic transit agency, such as vehicles and fueling or charging systems. With the exception of applications such as solar panels on a maintenance garage roof, emissions from energy production are not targeted in this program.
The projects under ZERO may address aspects of the following subject areas:
- Technology Research and Development - Improving the efficiency, reducing costs, and improving the performance of vehicles, vehicle systems, and subsystems.
- Transit Fleet Operations - Improving the efficiency, reducing costs, and improving the performance of vehicle fleets including maintenance and operations practices.
- Energy Infrastructure - Addressing challenges of supporting zero emission technology including hydrogen fueling, electric charging, and relationships with suppliers and electric utilities.
- Standards and Policy - Research to support standards development and testing protocols and to identify policies and policy changes to reduce costs and risks of adopting zero emission vehicle technology.
- Other - FTA is open to considering other research subjects or combinations of subjects to advance zero emission technology.
Programs addressing the emissions of energy production are carried out by the Department of Energy (DoE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). FTA coordinates with the DoE and EPA to eliminate duplication of effort and to ensure strategic consistency.