Alternative Fuels In Trucking, Vol. 6, No. 1
8/1/1997
This issue includes articles on: 1) lessons learned from the biodiesel fuel test; 2) a grocery chain's use of LNG tractors on California roads; 3) using liquefied natural gas as a vehicle fuel; and 4) an LE-55 natural gas engine project which targets 55% efficiency and low emissions.
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.
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.
Alternative Fuels In Trucking, Vol. 5, No. 2
12/1/1996
This issue includes articles on: 1) the development of an interstate clean transportation corridor; 2) a Congressional task force that is addressing natural gas vehicle R&D concerns; 3) a midwest ethanol demonstration project; 4) Caterpillar's introduction of new dual-fuel engines; 5) a report on gas composition issues for natural gas vehicles and fueling stations; 6) NGVC's testimony before the House Oversight and Investigation Committee; and 7) DOE's Biodiesel Research and Development Program's search for industry partnerships in the heavy-duty sector.
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 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 Fuel Economy, Vol. 4
12/1/1995
Fuel economy estimates are provided for the CleanFleet vans operated for two years by FedEx in Southern California. Between one and three vehicle manufacturers (Chevrolet, Dodge, and Ford) supplied vans powered by compressed natural gas (CNG), propane gas, California Phase 2 reformulated gasoline (RFG), methanol (M-85), and unleaded gasoline as a control. Two electric G-Vans, manufactured by Conceptor Corporation, were supplied by Southern California Edison. Vehicle and engine technologies are representative of those available in early 1992. A total of 111 vans were assigned to FedEx delivery routes at five demonstration sites. The driver and route assignments were periodically rotated within each site to ensure that each vehicle would experience a range of driving conditions. Regression analysis was used to estimate the relationships between vehicle fuel economy and factors such as the number of miles driven and the number of delivery stops made each day. The energy adjusted fuel economy (distance per energy consumed) of the alternative fuel vans operating on a typical FedEx duty cycle was between 13 percent lower and 4 percent higher than that of control vans from the same manufacturer. The driving range of vans operating on liquid and gaseous alternative fuels was 1 percent to 59 percent lower than for vans operating on unleaded gasoline. The driving range of the electric G-Vans was less than 50 miles. These comparisons are affected to varying degrees by differences in engine technology used in the alternative fuel and control vehicles. Relative fuel economy results from dynamometer emissions tests were generally consistent with those obtained from FedEx operations.
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.