AFDC Update: News of the Alternative Fuels Data Center (Vol. 6, No. 1)
5/1/1997
This issue includes articles on: 1) EPA's redesign of conversion certification policies; 2) the introduction of an NGV incentive Bill in Congress; 3) the introduction of the Boxer Bill in Congress; 4) New Jersey transit's expanded refueling infrastructure; 5) a Sacramento group's efforts to increase awareness of EV benefits; 6) testing of hybrid electric buses by a New York R&D group; 7) the use of heavy-duty LNG vehicles at the L.A. Airport and USPS; 8) the introduction of a medium-duty NGV by DOE and USPS; 9) NGVC's council to support LNG; 10) EV charging sites in Arizona; 11) a fuel company's purchase of natural gas refueling stations; 12) the reduced cost of methanol in California; 13) heavy-duty alternatives from OEMs and rebuilders; 14) Chrysler's announcement of an E-85 minivan and gasoline-powered fuel cell; 15) Ford's provision of 15 E85 minivans for use in state and USPS fleets; 16) GM's announcement of CNG options in Sierra and C-Series pickup trucks; 17) DOE funding; 18) a Virginia company's CNG helicopters; 19) Clean Cities' addition of the first two Ohio cities; 20) the future of CNG in Philadelphia; and 21) the Clean Cities conference.
AFDC Update: News of the Alternative Fuels Data Center (Vol. 5, No. 4)
2/1/1997
This issue includes articles on: 1) Clinton's issuance of an Executive Order on alternative fuels; 2) passage of the Propane Education and Research Act of 1996 through Congress; 3) The introduction of an NGV incentives package by the House Natural Gas Vehicle Task Force; 4) a New York bond act for clean fuel programs; 5) California's veto of an AFV incentive; 6) a "Stealth Bus" in Los Angeles; 7) Ashland Chemical, Inc.'s switch to M85 Ford Tauruses in its fleet; 8) New York City's increasing use of alternative fuels; 9) Iowa DOT's blend of biodiesel in heavy-duty vehicles; 10) King County, Washington's use of natural gas in police fleets; 11) heavy-duty trucks on ethanol; 12) UPS's plans to double its NGV fleet by 1998; 13) EV charging sites in Arizona; 14) changes at the National Biodiesel Board; 15) alternative fuel refueling sites on the Web; 16) the U.S. Postal Service and the DOE's plans to introduce a CNG mail truck; 17) Clean Cities; 18) Honda's announcement of a natural gas Civic; 19) the rise of alternative fuel bus purchases; 20) Ford Motor Company's AFV rebates; 21) natural gas testing in U.S. Volvos; 22) the introduction of EV1s; 23) Nissan's use of lithium-ion in its electric vehicles; and 24) plans for cleaner off-road engines.
Hybrid and Alternative Fuel Vehicle Emergency Responder Information
1/1/1997
Toyota developed Emergency Response Guides (ERG's) to educate and assist emergency responders in the safe handling of Toyota alternative fuel vehicles that incorporate CNG, hydrogen, or high voltage electrical systems. The ERG's cover emergency response procedures in the following specific areas: vehicle identification; high voltage; hydrogen and cng gas systems; disabling procedures and warnings; extrication; and roadside assistance. Guides are available for the CNG Camry, RAV4 EV, Prius (Model Years 2001 to 2004), and Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle.
Executive Order 13031, Federal Alternative Fueled Vehicle Leadership
12/13/1996
Executive Order 13031 outlines the provisions to ensure that the Federal Government exercises leadership in the use of alternative fueled vehicles (AFVs). To that end, each Federal agency should develop and implement aggressive plans to fulfill the alternative fueled vehicle acquisition requirements established by the Energy Policy Act of 1992.
Authors: Clinton, W.J.
AFDC Update: News of the Alternative Fuels Data Center (Vol. 5, Iss. 3)
12/1/1996
This issue includes articles on: 1) DOE's evaluation of private and local fleet roles; 2) CMAQ's support of AFV programs; 3) how to buy time; 4) the latest transit bus results; 5) an ethanol refueling handbook; 6) heavy duty manufacturers; 7) natural gas composition and vehicles; 8) Chrysler's discontinuation of NGV production for model year 1997; 9) Ford's continuation of AFV lineup with reduces prices; 10) Clean Cities in the air; 11) a House of Representatives natural gas vehicle task force; 12) the House Renewable Energy Caucus; 12) an alternative fuel vehicle incentive bill in Arizona; 13) ethanol Windstars; 14) and the use of alternative fuel vehicles at the Olympics.
AFDC Update: News of the Alternative Fuels Data Center (Vol. 5, Iss. 2)
7/1/1996
This issue includes articles on: 1) a report that alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) are approaching the performance and reliability expectations of gasoline vehicles among drivers of Federal fleet vehicles; 2) natural gas refuse trucks; 3) AFV student competitions; 4) advances in electric vehicles; and 5) new features on the AFDC's World Wide Web site.
CleanFleet Final Report Fleet Economics, Vol. 8
12/1/1995
The costs that face a fleet operator in implementing alternative motor fuels into fleet operations are examined. Five alternatives studied in the CleanFleet project are considered for choice of fuel: compressed natural gas (CNG), propane gas, California Phase 2 reformulated gasoline (RFG), M-85, and electricity. The cost assessment is built upon a list of thirteen cost factors grouped into the three categories: infrastructure costs, vehicle owning costs, and operating costs. Applicable taxes are included. A commonly used spreadsheet was adapted as a cost assessment tool. This tool was used in a case study to estimate potential costs to a typical fleet operator in package delivery service in the 1996 time frame. In addition, because electric cargo vans are unlikely to be available for the 1996 model year from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), the case study was extended to the 1998 time frame for the electric vans. Results of the case study are presented in cents per mile of vehicle travel for the fleet. Several options available to the fleet for implementing the fuels are examined.
CleanFleet Final Report Summary, Vol. 1
12/1/1995
The South Coast Alternative Fuels Demonstration, called CleanFleet, was conducted in the Los Angeles area from April 1992 through September 1994. The demonstration consisted of 111 package delivery vans operating on five alternative fuels and the control fuel, unleaded gasoline. The alternative fuels were propane gas, compressed natural gas (CNG), California Phase 2 reformulated gasoline (RFG), methanol with 15 percent RFG (called M-85), and electricity. This volume of the eight volume CleanFleet final report is a summary of the project design and results of the analysis of data collected during the demonstration on vehicle maintenance and durability, fuel economy, employee attitudes, safety and occupational hygiene, emissions, and fleet economics.
CleanFleet Final Report Project Design and Implementation, Vol. 2
12/1/1995
The CleanFleet alternative fuels demonstration project evaluated five alternative motor fuels in commercial fleet service over a two-year period. The five fuels were compressed natural gas, propane gas, California Phase 2 reformulated gasoline (RFG), M-85 (85 percent methanol and 15 percent RFG), and electric vans. Eighty-four vans were operated on the alternative fuels and 27 vans were operated on gasoline as baseline controls. Throughout the demonstration, information was collected on fleet operations, vehicle emissions, and fleet economics. In this volume of the CleanFleet findings, the design and implementation of the project are summarized.
CleanFleet Final Report Vehicle Maintenance and Durability, Vol. 3
12/1/1995
CleanFleet is a demonstration of panel vans operating on five alternative motor fuels in commercial package delivery operations in the South Coast Air Basin of California. The five alternative fuels are propane gas, compressed natural gas (CNG), California Phase 2 reformulated gasoline (RFG), methanol (M-85 with 15 percent RFG), and electricity. Data were gathered on in-use emissions, operations, and fleet economics. This volume of the final report summarizes the maintenance required on these vans from the time they were introduced into the demonstration (April through early November 1992) until the end of the demonstration in September 1994. The vans were used successfully in FedEx operations; but, to varying degrees, the alternative fuel vehicles required more maintenance than the unleaded gasoline control vehicles. The maintenance required was generally associated with the development state of the fuel-related systems. During the demonstration, no non-preventive maintenance was required on the highly developed fuel-related systems in any of the unleaded gasoline production vehicles used either as controls or as RFG test vehicles. The maintenance problems encountered with the less developed systems used in this demonstration may persist in the short term with vehicles featuring the same or similar systems. This means that fleet operators planning near-term acquisitions of vehicles incorporating such systems should consider the potential for similar problems when (1) selecting vendors and warranty provisions and (2) planning maintenance programs.
CleanFleet Final Report: Executive Summary
12/1/1995
CleanFleet, formally known as the South Coast Alternative Fuels Demonstration, was a comprehensive demonstration of alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) in daily commercial service. Between April 1992 and September 1994, five alternative fuels were tested in 84 panel vans: compressed natural gas (CNG), propane gas, methanol as M-85, California Phase 2 reformulated gasoline (RFG), and electricity. The AFVs were used in normal FedEx package delivery service in the Los Angeles basin alongside 27 "control" vans operating on regular gasoline. The objective of the project was to demonstrate and document the operational, emissions, and economic status of alternative fuel, commercial fleet delivery vans in the early 1990s. During the two-year demonstration, CleanFleet's 111 vehicles travelled more than three million miles and provided comprehensive data on three major topics: fleet operations, emissions, and fleet economics. Fleet operations were examined in detail to uncover and resolve problems with the use of the fuels and vehicles in daily delivery service. Exhaust and evaporative emissions were measured on a subset of vans as they accumulated mileage. The California Air Resources Board (ARB) measured emissions to document the environmental benefits of these AFVs. At the same time, CleanFleet experience was used to estimate the costs to a fleet operator using AFVs to achieve the environmental benefits of reduced emissions.
CleanFleet Final Report Vehicle Emissions, Vol. 7
12/1/1995
Measurements of exhaust and evaporative emissions from CleanFleet vans running on M-85, compressed natural gas (CNG), California Phase 2 reformulated gasoline (RFG), propane gas, and a control gasoline (RF-A) are presented. Three vans from each combination of vehicle manufacturer and fuel were tested at the California Air Resources Board (ARB) as they accumulated mileage in the demonstration. Data are presented on regulated emissions, ozone precursors, air toxics, and greenouse gases. The emissions tests provide information on in-use emissions. That is, the vans were taken directly from daily commercial service and tested at the ARB. The differences in vehicle technology among the three vehicle manufacturers (Ford, Dodge, Chevrolet) and differences in alternative fuel technology provide the basis for a range of technology options. The emissions data reflect these differences, with classes of vehicles/fuels producing either more or less emissions for various compounds relative to the control gasoline.