Transportation Technology Status Report California Energy Commission Publication Number: 500-97-013 December 1997

Printed copies of the Transportation Technology Status Report are available from the Commission Publications Unit by calling 916-654-5200; please ask for publication number P500-97-013. You can also download an Adobe Acrobat version:

Download 1997 Transportation Technology Status Report - Sections I & II
December 1997. (105 pages, 390 kilobytes).


The document is an Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (PDF) file. In order to download, navigate and print this document you will need the free Acrobat Reader software installed in and configured for your computer. You can download the software from Adobe Systems Incorporated's Internet site.

The Alternative Fuel Vehicles (AFV) Database, or Appendix A to Section I, is downloadable as a Microsoft Excel file.

Download AFV Database - Appendix A to Section I
December 1997. (20 pages, 128 kilobytes).

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Transportation Technology Status Report
Introduction

Transportation remains a vital component of California's economy and affects the quality of life for many individuals. The current system, however, also creates challenges and problems. The state can play an important role in identifying options to help maximize the benefits currently enjoyed from transportation, and also reduce its adverse impacts. For example, the transportation sector contributes large amounts of air pollutants in California. Tailpipe and evaporative emissions contribute to the formation of ozone. Tailpipe emissions also add to carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel combustion. Through dependence on one fuel the state economy is vulnerable to petroleum price increases which pose an energy security risk. Reducing this risk can be achieved by developing alternative fuel vehicle technologies that offer choices for the driving public.

Expected increases in population and personal vehicle use will lead to higher fuel consumption and emissions. These environmental concerns and possible energy security risks pose significant challenges for policy makers and opportunities for those involved in research, development, demonstration and commercialization activities tied to the introduction of alternative transportation fuels and other strategies to diversify fuel consumption.

Section 25604 of the Public Resources Code calls for the California Energy Commission (Commission) to "...describe energy development trends in the state, and evaluate the status of both new and existing technologies." The Transportation Technology Status Report (TTSR) presents a status of transportation technologies. Since transportation accounts for almost half of the state's energy use, it seems crucial that policy makers have a clear picture of the technology options in this area if they are to develop comprehensive energy policies. A lack of information about the negative aspects of transportation, and the options available to improve the system, currently impedes development and deployment of alternatives.

Transportation technology alternatives can provide additional opportunities such as reduced infrastructure costs, and economic development within the state. Seeking options that allow the state to maximize the benefits currently enjoyed from the transportation system, but also allow for improvements in energy security, environmental quality, and economic development, can help make the most of the state's resources.

The TTSR is a progress report of the commercial status of alternative fuel vehicle technologies and automotive fuel economy technology trends. The primary uses for the TTSR will be to:

• Extensive update on gas combustion technologies to capture recent technological advances.
  

• Identify and track which alternative transportation technologies offer the best opportunities for meeting California's transportation energy challenges
  

• Determine the commercial availability of transportation technologies for the purpose of developing transportation energy policy proposals

• Provide information for the Commission's Transportation Technologies Advancement Program (TETAP), for use in developing solicitations and helping to evaluate proposals

• Provide a database on transportation technologies with information about alternative fuel vehicles to assist in evaluating transportation energy policy proposals

• Track and evaluate the fuel economy-improving potential of many types of advanced technologies

• Develop a list of short-term and long-term transportation technology opportunities that are most beneficial to the state and are most worthy of public and private support

The use of alternative fuels offers opportunities for fuel substitution and emission reductions. Achieving these benefits is difficult, however, because a variety of factors inhibit the commercialization and market introduction of alternative fuel vehicles. A well-entrenched and established market and infrastructure for gasoline, the lack of infrastructure for alternative fuel vehicles, and an emerging alternative fuel vehicle technology and high costs all hinder alternative fuel vehicle commercialization. Recognizing these limitations, staff has identified some of the key challenges facing the development of alternative fuel vehicle technologies in Section I.

Beyond air quality and energy security benefits provided by alternative fuel vehicles, opportunities for improving the energy efficiency of California's transportation also exist. In fact, automobiles and light-duty trucks alone represent half of the state's transportation energy use, which in turn accounts for nearly 40 percent of all energy use in California and over 75 percent of petroleum use.

The state's large and growing vehicle population presents an opportunity to develop more fuel-efficient vehicles. Section II presents an evaluation of the potential for achieving higher average fuel economy for new light-duty motor vehicles. This section focuses on the status of automotive technology development related to further fuel economy improvements. Issues affecting the introduction of higher fuel economy vehicles into the marketplace also are discussed.

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