Key
Transportation Planning Principles--
Transportation Technology
Alternative Technologies
New alternative technologies hold great promise
for developing vehicles that are more recyclable and more energy-efficient,
and use alternative/cleaner fuels. However, there remains the
problem of highway congestion and the road requirements that
accompany dependence on single-occupancy vehicles.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is proposing to
revamp its
fuel
efficiency standards for pickup trucks and sport utility
vehicles, which the DOT classifies as "light trucks."
In December 2003, DOT's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) issued an advance notice of a proposed rulemaking to
reform the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards.
The notice includes several reforms that the NHTSA is considering.
The current proposal addresses only rule changes and does not
include proposed fuel efficiency standards.
Meanwhile, new
emissions standards for motorcycles promise to
eventually save about 12 million gallons of gasoline each year.
Although aimed chiefly at reducing emissions, the new standards
--
established by EPA in December 2003 -- will reduce evaporative
emissions from motorcycles by preventing gasoline fumes from
escaping from fuel hoses and tanks. While helping to avoid ozone,
those changes will also help to avoid wasting gasoline. The
emissions standards will be phased in starting in 2006; the
evaporative emissions standards will take effect in 2008.
DOE and General Motors Corporation (GM) announced a new competition
in May 2004 that will challenge engineering students across
North America to redesign a Chevrolet Equinox, increasing its
fuel efficiency and reducing its emissions while maintaining
the vehicle's safety and performance. Called Challenge
X: Crossover to Sustainable Mobility,the three-year
competition will pit teams of engineering students from 17 North
American universities against each other in the redesign of
Chevy's compact sport utility vehicle (SUV).
The U.S. ethanol fuel industry had its best year yet in 2003,
producing a record 2.81 billion gallons of fuel, according to
the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA). The record ethanol production
in 2003 is about 32 percent more than the industry produced
in 2002. The ethanol market has been growing steadily in recent
years as gasoline suppliers switch to ethanol to replace MTBE
as an additive. Due to concerns about groundwater pollution,
MTBE bans took effect in California, Connecticut, and New York
on January 1, 2004. See the press
release.
Several companies and organizations have announced significant
advancements in battery technologies in early 2003, providing
renewed hope for the electric vehicle industry.
The biggest news comes from ZAP, an electric vehicle company,
which announced a breakthrough in lithium-ion battery technology
that could quadruple the range of today's electric vehicles.
According to ZAP, the company has found a way to rapidly charge
and discharge lithium-ion batteries, which have traditionally
been used only for low-power applications such as cell phones.
Noting that lithium-ion batteries can store four times as much
energy as a standard lead-acid battery, ZAP predicts the new
technology could extend the range of electric vehicles from
today's 60 miles to as much as 240 miles per charge. Read
more.
Valence Technology, Inc. appears to have made similar headway
in lithium-ion technology, having unveiled a prototype battery
for "large format" energy storage, on the scale of
kilowatts or megawatts. Read
more.
DOE's Sandia National Laboratories also announced a promising
advance in lithium-ion battery technology. Researchers at Sandia
have developed materials made of silicon and graphite that may
double the energy storage capacities of the batteries. The materials
would be used as the negative electrode, or "anode,"
in a lithium-ion battery.
Honda Motor Company, Ltd. announced in February 2004 that its
fuel cell vehicle, the Honda
FCX, has passed cold-weather tests. Cold-weather performance
is a major technical hurdle for fuel cell vehicles, since moisture
in the fuel cells can freeze and damage the cell. Honda tested
the vehicle on its test track and on public roads in northern
Japan. After being parked outside in temperatures as low as
12 degrees Fahrenheit, the vehicle started successfully.
Six high schools recently won the first Hydrogen Fuel Cell
Model Challenge. General Motors Corporation (GM) provided the
components for the cars, and GM and DOE engineers gave technical
advice to the student teams, who built model cars up to a foot
wide and two feet long. The cars used solar power to generate
hydrogen, then used miniature fuel cells to convert that hydrogen
into electricity to power the cars' electric motors. Six of
the teams won prizes in two races -- one for speed, and one
for climbing the steepest incline. Read
more.
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) proposed in March
2003 an additional relaxation of its rules that mandate the
sale of zero-emissions vehicles (ZEVs) in the state, citing
in part a lack of advancement in battery technology. The new
proposed rules eliminate most future requirements for the sale
of ZEVs -- cars powered by either batteries or hydrogen fuel
cells --instead allowing automakers to meet those requirements
through the sale of hybrid electric vehicles and vehicles with
gaseous storage systems (such as internal-combustion engines
fueled with compressed natural gas or hydrogen). Methanol-powered
fuel cell vehicles would also earn credits, and hybrid electric
vehicles earn more ZEV credits if they use higher voltages and
more powerful motors. Read
more.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
proposed new
fuel economy standards for light trucks in December
2002. The new standards will first take effect during model
year 2005 and become gradually more restrictive until model
year 2007. Over those three years, light truck fuel efficiency
standards will increase from today's 20.7 mile-per-gallon (mpg)
requirement to 22.2 mpg, an increase of more than 7 percent,
which will save an estimated 2.5 billion gallons of gasoline.
The corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standard was last
increased in 1996; a final rule establishing the new standards
will be issued by April 2003.
Ford
Motor Company is investing up to $325 million in two
manufacturing plants, allowing them to build new rear-wheel-drive,
six-speed automatic transmissions. According to Ford, the new
transmissions will increase fuel economy by 4 to 8 percent relative
to a four-speed automatic transmission. By 2008, Ford expects
60 percent of its vehicles to have either six-speed transmissions
or continuously variable transmissions.
The Union
of Concerned Scientists has unveiled a blueprint for
a safer, more fuel-efficient sport utility vehicle using technologies
already on the market. The proposed improvements would pay for
themselves in reduced gasoline costs in a little more than two
years, says UCS.
Links
American
Solar Challenge
An annual race for solar cars constructed by universities, sponsored
by the , DOE and its National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL),
BP Solar and EDS.
The Energy Foundation
A partnership of major foundations interested in sustainable
energy solutions created this site. There is information on
more energy efficient transportation technologies, renewable
energy sources, and projects funded by this foundation.
The Fuel Economy Site
A variety of information on the importance of fuel economy including
the latest technologies is available at this DOE sponsored site.
It also has a tool allowing one to calculate the fuel efficiency
of cars on the road.
Argonne
National Laboratory Transportation Technology R&D Center
This DOE research facility offers information on hybrid vehicle,
fuel cell and alternative fuel technologies, including performance
data and field-testing at this site.
Hybrid Vehicle Propulsion
Program On-line Resource Center
This site created by DOE and NREL has an abundance of information
on the latest in hybrid vehicle technologies, and manufacturers
of these vehicles.
Innovative
Transportation Technologies
This website presents a variety of technologies for supported
and suspended automated people-moving, including links for planning
and deployment information.
Articles and Publications
Electrifying
Times
This publication calls itself the International Magazine of
Electric Vehicles, Hybrid Electric Vehicles, Fuel Cells, Batteries,
Alternative Fuels, Electric Car Racing and Expositions.
Hybrid
Truck Demonstrates Better Gas Mileage And A Host Of Other Advantages,
Without Compromises
GM is planning to introduce hybrid versions of its GMC Sierra
and Chevrolet Silverado by combining a 14-kilowatt motor with
a V8 engine and using a 42-volt lead-acid battery pack for energy
storage. A so-called "mild" hybrid system, the motor
will provide supplemental power to the engine when needed, but
the engine will always run. GM expects a 10 to 12 percent increase
in fuel economy in the pickups, which will be available in 2003.
Clean Fuels
Certain vehicle fuels, such as hydrogen, ethanol,
methanol, natural gas, and propane, create less pollution than
gasoline. These fuels emit fewer--or no--hydrocarbons and those
that they do emit are less reactive and less toxic. In addition,
clean fuels afford us more choices and could reduce our dependence
on foreign oil.
Clean fuels programs are being implemented in
many communities. Some programs, for example, require that a
certain percentage of vehicle fleets operate on clean fuel.
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed an executive
order in April 2004 that creates a public and private partnership
to build a "hydrogen highway" in the state by 2010.
The Hydrogen
Highway Network initiative aims to speed the transition
to a hydrogen transportation economy in California by building
a network of 150 to 200 hydrogen fueling stations throughout
the state—roughly one every 20 miles on the state's major
highways. The order also calls on the California Environmental
Protection Agency to develop a plan by year-end for the state's
transition to a hydrogen economy.
New Mexico passed a law in February 2004 to promote clean energy
and hybrid cars. Governor Bill Richardson signed three
energy bills into law last week, including a "Renewable
Energy Act" that sets minimum requirements for renewable
energy use by the state's public utilities. Governor Richardson
also signed a bill for the state to invest in hydrogen and other
cutting-edge energy sources, and to provide "clean energy
grants" to state agencies and local governments; public
schools and other educational institutions; and tribal entities.
The third bill exempts from excise taxes any purchase of a new
hybrid-electric car that achieves a fuel economy rating of at
least 27.5 miles per gallon.
DOE's proposed
budget for fiscal year (FY) 2005 includes $228 million
for the Hydrogen Fuel Initiative, an increase of about $69 million,
or 43 percent, above 2004 funding.
U.S. Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham and Philippine Secretary
of Energy Vincente Perez signed a
memorandum of understanding in January 2004 to strengthen
the Sustainable Energy Development Program between the two countries
and to promote the use of cleaner-burning fuels in vehicles.
The Sustainable Energy Development Program is a $5 million project
sponsored by DOE, the Philippines Department of Energy, and
the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). It includes
efforts to develop a renewable energy bill for the Philippines
and to expand the use of cleaner alternative fuels such as natural
gas.
The federal FreedomCAR
Research Partnership entails the development of emission-
and petroleum-free cars and light trucks, targeted at impacting
a variety of models. FreedomCAR focuses on the high-risk research
needed to develop the necessary technologies, such as fuel cells
and hydrogen from domestic renewable sources, to provide a full
range of affordable cars and light trucks that are free of foreign
oil and harmful emissions, without sacrificing freedom of mobility
and freedom of vehicle choice.
DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and DuPont
announced in October 2003 that they will work together to develop
the world's first integrated "biorefinery"
that uses corn or other organic materials to produce a variety
of fuels and chemicals. Under a $7.7-million agreement, the
two organizations will collaborate to develop, build, and test
a pilot-scale biorefinery that will make use of the entire corn
plant, including the stalks, husks, and leaves. Those parts,
which currently go to waste, will be converted into fuel-grade
ethanol and electrical power. Purified sugars from the corn
kernel will be converted into chemicals such as Sorona, DuPont's
new corn-based polymer.
Green Star Products, Inc. completed initial product test runs
at its new biodiesel
production plant in Bakersfield, California. The plant
will be the first in the country to use a continuous-flow process
to produce biodiesel. The company tested both recycled and virgin
vegetable oil for its initial production of biodiesel, and was
able to deliver product to U.S. Hondo Chemical, which is using
biodiesel in its off-road vehicles. Although the Bakersfield
Biodiesel Plant is currently capable of producing 2.5 million
gallons of biodiesel per year, the company claims that the plant
could be expanded to produce 35 million gallons per year, which
would be more than twice the national production of biodiesel
in 2002.
DOE announced in August 2003 that Italy intends to join its
International Partnership for a Hydrogen Economy. Italy has
a well-developed research and development program that addresses
hydrogen and fuel cell applications in vehicles and for electric
power. The Italian government plans to cooperate with the United
States on investigations of hydrogen production, storage, and
transport, as well as end-use technologies and codes and standards.
Read
more.
Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich signed legislation in June
2003 that will provide a partial state sales tax exemption of
20 percent on biodiesel blends containing from one to ten percent
biodiesel. The legislative package also established the Illinois
Renewable Fuels Development Program, which offers grants up
to $15 million annually for constructing, modifying, altering,
or retrofitting a renewable fuels plant with a minimum production
capacity of 30 million gallons. See
the press release.
The Renewable
Fuels Association (RFA) announced in late January 2003
that the U.S. ethanol fuel industry set a new production record
of 2.13 billion gallons in 2002, up more than 20 percent from
the previous year. RFA added that ethanol fuel use in 2002 avoided
the equivalent of roughly 4.3 million tons of carbon dioxide
emissions -- equal to removing 636,000 cars from the roads.
Meanwhile, the industry continues to grow, with a new plant
capable of producing 100 million gallons of ethanol per year
now under construction in Aurora, South Dakota. VeraSun Energy
is building the plant, which will be one of the largest of its
kind in the United States.
DOE and EPA marked Earth Day 2003 by designating the New
York City Clean Cities Coalition as the newest member
of DOE's Clean Cities Program. New York City uses alternative
fuels in a number of buses, garbage trucks, and light-duty vehicles,
and 200 natural-gas taxis operate in the city.
DOE's Energy Information Administration (EIA) has issued its newest compilation of statistics on the use of alternative fuels and alternative-fuel vehicles.
On-Line Articles and Publications
10
Biodiesel Pumps Open in Colorado as City of Denver Begins Pilot
Program
Ten retail service stations throughout Colorado began offering
biodiesel fuel at their pumps in May 2004 as part of a new pilot
program. This press release explains the project.
Biodiesel
Cleans Up Mardi Gras Festivities
Diesel-fueled floats were offered a chance to use clean-burning
biodiesel during the 2003 Mardi Gras parades. About 1,400 gallons
of biodiesel were provided for free by biodiesel marketer Peter
Cremer North America, Proctor & Gamble Chemicals, and the
Greater New Orleans Clean Cities Coalition.
Biodiesel
Facility Begins Production in Ralston, Iowa
Introduces a new facility with the capacity to produce 12 million
gallons of biodiesel per year. The West Central Soy plant is
owned and operated by a farmers' cooperative and produces the
biodiesel from soybeans. According to the National Biodiesel
Board, the new facility is one of 18 dedicated biodiesel plants
in the United States.
FedEx
Express Introduces Hybrid Electric Truck
Describes a fuel-efficient hybrid-electric-diesel delivery
vehicle unveiled by FedEx Express in May 2003 that could become
a standard delivery truck for the company. The FedEx OptiFleet
E700 hybrid electric vehicle increases fuel efficiency by 50
percent while decreasing particulate emissions by 90 percent
and reducing smog-causing emissions by 75 percent.
Southern
States Power Co. Inc. Announces Agreement To Purchase Property
For Development of Biodiesel Production Facility
Explains Southern States Power Company Inc. plans, announced
in March 2002, to build a biodiesel production factory in Riverside,
California, capable of producing 30 million gallons per year
of biodiesel fuel. If built as planned, the biodiesel plant
will be the largest in the United States.
Clean
Fuels: An Overview
Discusses clean fuels, their advantages and disadvantages, and
why it is important to make the switch to clean fuels. Also
discusses DOE’s Clean Cities Initiative, and the Florida Gold
Coast Clean Cities Coalition.
Resource
Guide: Infrastructure for Alternative Fuel Vehicles
Published by the California Energy Commission, this resource
guide aims to inform local governments and fleet operators of
the infrastructure needed to support alternative-fuel vehicles.
AFV
Quarterly
A quarterly publication from the Chrysler Corporation that discusses
alternative fuel vehicles and technologies.
The Alternative
Fuel Vehicle Directory
An online directory with links to a variety of alternative fuel
web sites.
Links and Other Resources
Clean Cities
A locally-based government/industry partnership, coordinated
by the U.S. Department of Energy to expand the use of alternatives
to gasoline and diesel fuel. Web site provides information
on alternative fuels and transportation, a listing of Clean
Cities, Clean Cities documents, and other useful information.
GreenerCars.com
The website for the American Council for an Energy-Efficient
Economy's (ACEEE) Green Book, an environmental guide to cars
and trucks.
Alternative
Fuels Data Center
The U.S. Department of Energy’s very comprehensive
source for information on alternative fuels. The site contains
links to many other sites focusing on transportation. They
also offer an Alternative Fuels Hotline at (800) 423-1363.
Office
of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
The U.S. Department of Energy provides information
on clean transportation technologies and related
topics through its FreedomCAR
& Vehicle Technologies Program. In addition, the
Hydrogen,
Fuel Cells and Infrastructure Technology Program is
helping to develop and introduce new clean technologies.
Towards
Sustainable Transportation
Makes available conference papers
on alternative fuels from an international conference sponsored
by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development,
and Environment Canada.
EV Rental Cars
A rental car company that rents the most technologically
advanced electric, natural gas and hybrid vehicles to the public
from 12 major airports in the United States, to raise awareness
of clean-fuel cars.
National Biodiesel Board
The national trade association representing the biodiesel industry
as the coordinating body for research and development in the
U.S. Website includes information on biodiesel and related topics.
Hypercars
Hypercars are a new concept in cars--an ultralight
hybrid vehicle that will reportedly be more fuel-efficient,
safer, more attractive and comfortable, more durable, and less
expensive than their conventional counterparts. Some manufacturers
have begun to build prototypes of these new cars, and their
impact on our resources and environment could be significant.
Links
Rocky
Mountain Institute
Provides hypercar discussion and information at its website.
Or call (970) 927-3851 for information about related publications.
DOE/NREL
Hybrid Vehicle Web Site
Presents detailed information on Hybrid Electric Vehicles and
their components, as well as updates of program activities,
including major U.S. car manufacturers’ research and development
efforts.
Hypercar, Inc.
A start-up company that aims to commercialize affordable, fuel-efficient,
ultralight, hybrid-electric vehicles.
Intelligent Transportation
Systems
Intelligent transportation systems (ITS) integrate
information processing, communications and electronics technologies
in an effort to solve surface transportation problems. For example,
ITS can include systems that support ridesharing and carpooling,
or the development of wireless delivery systems that provide
real-time traffic information and conditions to travelers.
On-Line Articles
"Moving
Transportation into the Information Age: A Primer on Intelligent
Transportation Systems for State and Local Governments"
Provides a good overview of ITS.
Links
Intelligent
Transportation Systems/APTS
Developed by the U.S. Department of Transportation, this site
provides links to project summaries and publications related
to intelligent transportation systems and advanced public transportation
systems.
ITS
Cooperative Deployment Network
A shared Internet resource containing up-to-date news,
insight, and resources for transportation professionals and
agencies alike. The ICDN's members are comprised of a select
group of organizations and associations leading the ITS deployment
effort.
Intelligent
Transportation Systems Research Program: University of Washington
Provides links to information on software, transportation sites,
and ITS publications.
MIT Intelligent
Transportation Systems Program
This program offers courses, research projects and publications
on intelligent transportation systems. Initial efforts have
focused on the conceptual design of intelligent transportation
systems, and on the development of computer tools for design
and evaluation of ITS services.
Surface
Transportation Policy Project (STPP)
STPP is working on a joint project with the University
of Minnesota Humphrey Institute and the Claremont Graduate School
"to identify Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) technologies
that promote sustainable communities." ITS technologies could
result in a reduced need to expand road capacity and could increase
the efficiency of freight movement. The STPP site provides more
information on this project, as well as a variety of other transportation-related
information.
Last updated: June 29, 2004
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