Lightweight and Propulsion Materials (LightMAT)

Lightweight and Propulsion Materials — R&D

Supports teams advancing transport and mobility materials through applied innovation and manufacturing.

The Lightweight and Propulsion Materials (LightMAT) program, operated under the DOE Transportation Technologies Office (TTO) within the Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation (CMEI), funds applied research and development to reduce the weight of light- and heavy-duty vehicles through advanced materials. The program addresses steel, aluminum, glass-fiber-reinforced polymer composites, magnesium alloys, and carbon fiber composites, targeting weight reductions of 10–60 percent for near-term materials and up to 75 percent for long-term advanced composites in specific components. A primary system-level target is a 25 percent reduction in vehicle glider weight against a 2015 baseline, with a projected fuel savings impact exceeding five billion gallons annually by 2030 if adopted across 25 percent of the US fleet.

R&D is conducted primarily through the LightMAT Consortium, a network of ten DOE national laboratories with Oak Ridge National Laboratory serving as a key research site. The program uses a combination of annual program-wide Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) and targeted laboratory partnership calls to engage external applicants. As of mid-2026, the active open FOA is DE-FOA-0003514, the FY2025 TTO Program-Wide FOA (concept paper deadline April 1, 2025; full application deadline June 18, 2025), which covers LightMAT alongside other TTO program areas. Applications are submitted through EERE Exchange and Grants.gov; SBIR/STTR pathways are available for small businesses.

Eligible applicants include universities, national laboratories, and industry partners working in materials science, computational modeling, manufacturing process development, and related fields. The program's alignment with vehicle efficiency and critical minerals (magnesium and advanced alloy supply chains) positions it within TTO's post-2026 reorganization priorities. Applicants should verify current open FOA status at eere-exchange.energy.gov before initiating a proposal.