General Evaluation Plan: Fleet Test & Evaluation Projects
7/1/2002
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Fleet Test and Evaluation (FT&E) team was formed to accomplish the objectives of U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) current and emerging programs. Composed of NREL and Battelle personnel, the team supports vehicle test project initiated by DOE's Office of FreedomCAR and Vehicle Technologies (OFCVT) and the Office of Hydrogen, Fuel Cells, and Infrastructure Technologies (OHFCIT). FT&E projects help fleet owners and operators facilitate purchase decisions by providing them with comprehensive laboratory and fleet test data on viable alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) and advanced technology vehicles (ATVs). ATVs include hybrid electric and fuel cell vehicles.
Alternative Fuels in Public Transit: A Match Made on the Road
3/1/2002
As alternative fuels compete with conventional fuels for a place in public awareness and acceptance, one of their most visible applications is in public transportation. Vehicles, particularly buses and shuttles, that carry people in large numbers, stand to gain much from using alternative fuels. Such high-demand fuel users can help sustain a fueling infrastructure that supports private autos and other smaller vehicles.
U.S. Postal Service Fountain Valley Electric Carrier Route Vehicle Testing
1/1/2002
The United States Postal Service (USPS) has ordered 500 light-duty electric carrier route vehicles (ECRV) mostly for their delivery carriers to use in several California locations. The 500 ECRVs have been defined as a demonstration fleet to support a decision on potentially ordering 5,500 additional ECRVs. Several different test methods are being used by the USPS to evaluate the 500-vehicle deployment. One of these test methods is the ECRV Customer Acceptance Test Program at Fountain Valley, California. Two newly manufactured ECRVs were delivered to the Fountain Valley Post Office and eighteen mail carriers primarily drove the ECRVs on ?park and loop? mail delivery routes for a period of 2 days each. This ECRV testing consisted of 36 route tests, 18 tests per vehicle. The 18 mail carriers testing the ECRVs were surveyed for their opinions on the performance of the ECRVs. The U.S. Department of Energy, through its Field Operations Program, is supporting the USPS?s ECRV testing activities both financially and with technical expertise.
Authors: Francfort, J.
Future U.S. Highway Energy Use: A Fifty Year Perspective
5/3/2001
The U.S. Transportation system as a whole and the highway mode in particular will be much different in the year 2050 compared to today. The type and number of vehicles in use and the fuels employed to power them are unknown. Yet planning for the future requires acting on the information at hand: assessing the implications of the current path and the potential benefit of alternative futures. This paper puts transportation energy issues into a long-run perspective so that informed planning can begin early enough to make a decisive difference. This paper examines the global oil supply and demand over the next 50 years to show that a transition away from conventional oil will begin. The analysis reviews the energy, economic, and environmental implications of the alternatives that are available to meet some of the anticipated gap between world conventional oil production and the liquid fuels required to support a growing world economy. This paper then describes several U.S. Transportation technology strategies with a range of efficiency improvements and fuel substitutions, and calculates their first order effects on energy use, petroleum consumption, and carbon emissions over a 50-year time horizon.
Authors: Birky, A.; Greene, D.; Gross, T.; Hamilton, D.; Heitner, K.; Johnson, L.; Maples, J.; Moore, J.; Patterson, P.; Plotkin, S.; Stodolsky, F.
Notes: This report is available on the Office of Transportation Technologies (OTT) Web site at http://www.ott.doe.gov/facts/publications/hwyfuture.pdf
Airport-based Alternative Fuel Vehicle Fleets
2/1/2001
Airport-based Alternative Fuel Vehicle Fleets describes why the Airport 'niche market' is uniquely suited for the use of alternative fuels and alternative fuel vehicles. Learn why ground support equipment and landside vehicles make such good candidates for alternative fuel use and how airports such as Denver International, LAX, and Boston's Logan have been successful in implementing AFVs.
State Alternative Fuel Vehicle Incentives: A Decade and More of Lessons Learned
2/1/2001
This report assesses the effectiveness of state incentives and suggests incentives that might encourage new vehicle technologies. It does not assess whether a state should promote alternative fuel vehicles or whether such vehicles are the most effective means to reduce air pollution. Rather, the analysis analyzes the effectiveness of state incentives of the past decade and describes the characteristics of effective alternative fuel vehicle incentives and the fiscal implications for a state that is committed to support an effective alternative fuel vehicle program.
Authors: Brown, M.;Breckenridge, L.
Toyota Prius Emergency Response Guide
1/1/2001
This document outlines the proper procedures to take when dealing with a roadside emergency, collision, or breakdown of a Toyota Prius hybrid electric vehicle.
Notes: If you are interested in obtaining a copy of this document, please contact your local Toyota dealer.
Electric Trams: Alternative Fuel Vehicles At Cape Cod National Seashore
6/1/2000
Two remodeled electric trams rejoined the all-electric visitor transportation fleet at the Cape Cod National Seashore. The Trams were previously hybrid vehicles that operated on a combination of propane and electricity. Conversion to pure electric power was necessary to make the trams more efficient and reduce the need for recharging every few hours.
Analysis of Technology Options to Reduce the Fuel Consumption of Idling Trucks
6/1/2000
Long-haul trucks idling overnight consume more than 838 million gallons (20 million barrels) of fuel annually. Idling also emits pollutants. Truck drivers idle their engines primarily to heat or cool the cab and/or sleeper, keep the fuel warm in winter, and keep the engine warm in the winter so that the engine is easier to start. Alternatives to overnight idling could save much of this fuel, reduce emissions, and cut operating costs. Several fuel-efficient alternatives to idling are available to provide heating and cooling: direct-fire heater for cab/sleeper heating, with or without storage cooling; auxiliary power units; and truck stop electrification. Many of these technologies have drawbacks that limit market acceptance. Options that supply electricity are economically viable for trucks that are idled for 1,000-3,000 or more hours a year, while heater units could be used across the board. Payback times for fleets, which would receive quantity discounts on the prices, would be somewhat shorter.
Authors: Stodolsky, F.;Gaines, L.;Vyas, A.
Program Analysis Methodology Office of Transportation Technologies Quality Metrics Final Report 2001
2/23/2000
This report focuses on the projected benefits of the forty-one programs currently supported through the Office of Transportation Technologies (OTT) under EE/RE. For analytical purposes, these various benefits are subdivided in terms of Planning Units which are related to the OTT program structure. The scope of this report encompasses light vehicles including passenger automobiles and class 1 & 2 (light) trucks, as well as class 3 through 8 (heavy) trucks. The range of light vehicle technologies investigated include electric, hybrid electric, fuel cell, advanced diesel, natural gas fueled, and stratified charge direct-injection. A future distribution of light vehicle sizes, applications, and performance levels is calculated based on current vehicle stocks and trends, and consumer preferences. The heavy vehicle technologies investigated include hybrid, natural gas-fueled and advanced diesel. The effects of advanced materials technologies across all vehicle types are also analyzed.
Authors: Patterson, P.; Maples, J.;Moore, J.; Birky, A.
Notes: This report is available in PDF format on the Office of Transportation Technology's Web site http://www.ott.doe.gov/facts/publications/QM2001.pdf
Limited Progress in Acquiring Alternative Fuel Vehicles and Reaching Fuel Goals
2/1/2000
with the first deadline approaching for EPAct's petroleum replacement goals the GAO was asked to review progress towards achieving EPACT goals. gao was asked to determine the progress made in acquiring alternative fuel vehicles and using altnerative fuels to meeting the act's fuel replacement goals. Also, GAO determined the impediments to using alternative fuel vehicles and the measures that can be taken to address those impediments in order to reach the act's replacement goals.