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Note from the Editor Farewell National Clean Bus Update, welcome Clean Motion. We would like to introduce our redesigned monthly transportation electronic newsletter – Clean Motion (formerly the National Clean Bus Update). We have revamped the focus of the newsletter to reflect the expanding scope of EESI’s transportation program. Clean Motion includes policy updates, technology developments, success stories, grant announcements, and other information relevant to deploying cleaner technologies in the transportation sector with a focus on hybrids, plug-in hybrids, biofuels and idle reduction. The newsletter will continue to provide information to stakeholders on relevant clean bus issues. |
GM Announces Plans for a Plug-In Hybrid The race to build a plug-in hybrid is on. On November 30, 2006, at the opening of the Los Angeles Auto Show, General Motors Corp. (GM) Chief Executive Rick Wagoner announced that GM intends to build a plug-in hybrid Saturn Vue sport utility vehicle (SUV). The vehicles will be able to operate on lithium-ion battery power for extended distances without the use of the gasoline engine. GM did not provide further details about the vehicle or when it would likely debut in the market. The SUV is expected to deliver double the fuel-efficiency of its gasoline-powered counterpart. Wagoner indicated that the company was working with several battery manufacturers on the plug-in project and progress would depend on advances in battery technology. “The technological hurdles are real, but we believe they are surmountable,” he said. “I can’t give you a date certain for our plug-in hybrid today but I can tell you that this is a top-priority program.” GM’s current hybrid Saturn Vue Green Line is a mild hybrid with the ability to shutdown the gas engine instead of idling. But the car cannot be powered solely by the electric motor, unlike full hybrids such as the Toyota Prius. Plug-in hybrids were not the only offering from GM stables at the LA Auto Show. The company unveiled its 2008 Saturn Aura Green Line hybrid which uses similar technology to the Saturn Vue and will improve fuel economy by 25 percent over its gasoline counterpart. Production of the Aura Green Line hybrid is scheduled to begin in March 2007 and is expected to retail at a base price less than $23,000. Also on display at the show were the 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe and GMC Yukon two-mode hybrids which utilize technology adapted from GM-Allison’s heavy-duty transit hybrid buses. BMW Group, DaimlerChrysler and GM have been working together to scale the parallel-hybrid bus technology for use in a broad variety of cars, trucks and SUVs. The hybrids are expected to improve fuel economy by 25 percent.
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2006 has been the Year of the Plug-In Hybrid. Since Austin Energy launched its National Plug-In Partners Campaign in January this year, there has been a flurry of activity on the federal, state and local level (technology and policy wise) in support these vehicles. EESI has played a key role in this campaign recruiting new partners and developing policies in support of flexible fuel plug-ins. Deputy General Manager of Austin Energy and EESI Board member Roger Duncan has been leading this National Campaign. Here is an update from Roger. Dear Partners: Less than one year after the launch of a nationwide grassroots campaign to promote the mass production of plug-in hybrid vehicles -- carmakers are responding. GM, Toyota and Nissan have all signaled their intentions to explore the production of plug-in hybrids with indications that prototype vehicles could possibly show up during January car shows. Austin Mayor Will Wynn praised GM’s announcement saying, “GM officials should be congratulated on their vision in moving towards plug-in hybrids. We hope that they will follow through and the vehicles will be for sale soon.” Andy Karsner, Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy at the Department of Energy (DOE), said of plug-in hybrids, “This isn’t just something that we want to happen. It’s something that is going to happen.” So obviously there is a lot of activity on plug-in hybrids and the automakers have changed their position since issuing almost universally negative remarks after we launched the Plug-In Partners campaign in January. Almost 500 entities have joined the Plug-In Partners National initiative, led by Austin, Texas. This includes a number of the nation’s largest cities including Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Memphis, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Francisco, Portland and Seattle. The campaign has also produced more than 8,000 “soft” fleet orders for plug-ins when they become available. “Cities and local governments often see solutions more quickly and clearly,” says Mayor Wynn. “Plug-in hybrids represent an exciting near-term solution to America’s over dependence on foreign oil, and will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help Americans deal with volatile gasoline prices.” The Plug-In Partners campaign and a coalition of allied groups are now working with members of Congress and the Senate on plug-in hybrid legislation. The focus of the bills will be on demonstration projects, incentives for consumers, and battery research. There will be plug-in hybrid bills introduced in the new Congress next year and we will contact you about help in supporting such legislation. None of the automakers, however, has announced a date when these vehicles will become available. Also, automakers say that batteries need further development before plug-ins can hit car lots. Along those lines, a breakfast meeting of battery makers was held at the Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA) conference about the state of battery technology. Battery makers in attendance urged more demonstration projects and pointed out that the federal government spends $500 million on fuel cell research and only $30 million on advanced batteries. They also suggested that auto manufacturers leave space in hybrids for additional battery capacity so the vehicles can be converted to plug-ins as batteries develop. Also noted was that the price of batteries would drop dramatically with volume. On the issue of battery reuse/recycling, battery makers said that advanced automotive batteries could be used by electric utilities for stationary storage for 10 to 15 years after their life as an automotive battery. So while much progress has been made since the launch of Plug-In Partners in January there is still much work to be done before this technology is active and effective in decreasing greenhouse gas emissions and reducing dependence on imported oil. We will keep you updated on progress and proposed legislation, and we encourage you to recruit other members to become Plug-In Partners. Thanks to all of you for supporting this important effort and please keep us apprised of activities and events. Sincerely, Roger Duncan For the latest news on the National Plug-In Partners Campaign, please visit:
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| Buffalo Testing Hydrogen-Powered Prius Converting Toyota Prius hybrids to plug-in hybrids seems to have caught the interest of state governments, technology manufacturers, researchers and car enthusiasts. The University of Buffalo has other plans for its Priuses. The university has been testing two modified Priuses equipped with a hydrogen internal combustion engine. A two-year demonstration program will facilitate the testing and evaluation of these vehicles with support from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and American Wind Power and Hydrogen LLC. They will be fueled at a hydrogen fueling station at the University at Buffalo's north campus in Amherst. The vehicles are manufactured by Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide which has 30 hydrogen Priuses currently in operation in Southern California and 23 more now on order, including 15 headed for Norway.
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| Hybrid Buses Outperform CNG and Diesel Buses, NREL Reports A recently concluded study by the Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has found that hybrid buses fare better than compressed natural gas buses and conventional diesel buses when it comes to fuel consumption. The 12-month study analyzed performance evaluation results for compressed natural gas (CNG) and diesel-electric hybrid buses operated by New York City Transit (NYCT). NREL evaluated 10 CNG Orion VII buses (Model Year 2002) equipped with Detroit Diesel Corporation’s Series 50G CNG engine and 10 hybrid Orion VII buses (Model Year 2002) fitted with BAE Systems series HybriDrive propulsion system. These buses were compared with nine standard diesel Orion V buses (Model Years 1994 and 1999) for bus usage, fuel economy and miles between maintenance calls. The evaluated buses were part of a 260 CNG bus order and a 125 diesel-electric hybrid bus order in 2003 and 2004. Results from the evaluation indicate that the hybrid buses offered between 34 and 40 percent improvement in fuel economy over standard diesel buses. In comparison to the CNG buses, the hybrids improved fuel efficiency between 60 and 120 percent. The hybrid buses showed the largest fluctuation in average fuel consumption compared to the other technologies evaluated. BAE Systems officials attribute this change to the operation of air-conditioning systems in the summer months. Air-conditioning loads were similar on all three types of buses, but in hybrids this energy consumption increase represents a much larger percentage of overall fuel consumption resulting in a larger penalty. However, the baseline standard diesel buses were not fitted with exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) for emission control. EGR systems tend to lower fuel efficiency, making the hybrids an even more attractive option to reduce fuel consumption and lower emissions. In addition, researchers reported that the fuel cost per mile for CNG buses was 45 percent higher than the hybrid buses and 31 percent higher when compared to the standard diesel buses. Maintenance costs for hybrid buses were slightly lower (5 percent) than CNG buses (maintenance costs for the conventional diesel buses were not considered because they are older). The next step of the evaluation will involve EGR-equipped hybrid buses which are powered by newer Model Year 2004 diesel engines and improved hybrid technology. The complete NREL report is available at:
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Toyota Seeking Extension of Hybrid Tax Credits In recent months, Toyota has recorded a noticeable decline in the sale of hybrids in the United States. Company officials attribute this decline in part to changes in the federal tax credit available for the purchase of these vehicles. Beginning in October 2006, the federal tax credit has decreased to $1575 from $3,150 for the Toyota Prius. For other Toyota hybrids such as the Camry, Highlander and the Lexus, the credits were reduced between $1300 and $775. The decreased tax credit is the consequence of a provision in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (which authorized these credits) requiring a 50 percent reduction in the credit once a car manufacturer has sold more than 60,000 tax credit-eligible vehicles which are eligible. Toyota dominates the hybrid market (approximately 77 percent market share) and has repeatedly called for the removal of these caps in order to encourage larger scale market penetration.
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NYC Not Keen on Congestion Fee New York City is unlikely to emulate its European counterpart London when it comes to managing traffic congestion. Mayor Michael Bloomberg has indicated that the State Legislature is reluctant to charge city drivers a congestion fee modeled along London’s congestion pricing plan. The Mayor responded to a new report issued by the Partnership for New York City calling for solutions to mitigate Manhattan’s soaring traffic problem. One recommendation was to adopt a congestion plan similar to the one implemented in London, which imposed a $9 fee on commuters driving into central London. The congestion fee, which was introduced in February 2003, requires drivers to purchase passes and register their vehicles in order to drive into central London. As a result, according to recent government estimates, congestion has decreased by almost 30 percent, accompanied by an increase in public transportation use. The London congestion plan has proven to be so successful that the city’s Mayor Ken Livingstone recently announced that they were planning to triple the congestion charge on large trucks and cars to 25 pounds ($47.83) to reduce congestion further. The current fee is 8 pounds a day. Under the latest proposal, vehicles that generate more than 225 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer, which qualify in the U.K. vehicle tax band G, would pay 25 pounds a day. Livingstone plans to remove a 90 percent discount on the charge for drivers of the largest vehicles who live inside the zone. One in five vehicles in central London qualifies under band G. The plan will be introduced in 2009, with hybrids and electric cars being exempted from the fee.
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Hybrid Trucks Coming to King County King County is expanding its commitment to hybrids. The County, which operates a large fleet of hybrid buses and light-duty vehicles, has placed an order for two hybrid lift trucks that will be used to maintain streetlights and traffic signals. Last year, 14 fleet departments in Washington State partnered to form the Northwest Hybrid Truck Buyers Consortium. The consortium led by King County placed an initial order for nine trucks, which each carry an incremental cost of $40,000 compared to regular diesel trucks. Other trucks in the order include a drilling truck, a paramedic truck, general utility trucks and flatbeds that can haul other vehicles or cranes. The consortium will collect data on user experiences with these trucks. For more information on this project, please see:
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Transportation Funding Opportunity The Federal Transit Administration has issued a request for proposals to compete for Fiscal Year 2007 Alternative Transportation in Parks and Public Lands Program funds. The program which was authorized in the transportation law Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), funds capital and planning expenses for alternative transportation systems such as buses and trams in federally-managed parks and public lands. The program is administered in partnership with the Department of Interior (DOI) and Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Forest Service. Federal land management agencies and State, tribal and local governments acting with consent of a Federal land management agency are eligible to apply. Proposals are due on February 16, 2007. For more information and to apply, please visit:
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| California Ports Get Tough on Pollution The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have approved sweeping measures to cut pollution from ships, trucks, trains, small craft and cargo-handling equipment. The San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Plan is designed to cut emissions by 45 percent over the next five years. The ports and South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) have pledged $200 million to implement the plan in partnership with industry who will contribute $1.6 billion. Key elements of the plan include eliminating “dirty” diesel trucks from the ports and replacing them with cleaner vehicles or retrofits; equipping all major cargo and cruise ship terminals with shore-side electricity (ability to provide electricity to docked ships allowing for the shutdown of on-board diesel engines) within five to ten years; and establishing air quality standards in partnership with other regulatory agencies (SCAQMD, CARB etc.). In addition, the ports will explore the use of pollution-based impact fees assessed on “dirty” vehicles. Ships will be required to use ultra-low sulfur diesel within 40 miles of the port and the use of cleaner locomotives will be mandated. The twin ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are the largest container seaports in the United States and the fifth largest in the world. The ports move 40 percent of the nation’s containerized cargo accounting for $260 billion per year in trade. According to estimates, port-related vessels and vehicles account for 12 percent of particulate matter pollution, 9 percent of nitrogen oxide emissions and 45 percent of sulfur oxide emissions in Southern California. The new plan is expected to cut particulate matter by more than 47 percent, nitrogen oxides by more than 45 percent and sulfur oxides by 52 percent, resulting in pre-2001 emission levels. According to the California Air Resources Board (CARB), 2,400 people die annually as a result of health impacts (asthma, cardiopulmonary disease and cancer) from the goods-movement industry. For more information on San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Plan, please see:
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Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting The TRB Annual Meeting program covers all transportation modes, with more than 2,800 presentations in 500 sessions addressing topics of interest to all attendees—policy makers, administrators, practitioners, researchers, and representatives of government, industry, and academic institutions. The spotlight theme for 2007 is "Transportation Institutions, Finance, and Workforce: Meeting the Needs of the 21st Century". For more information and to register, please visit:http://www.trb.org/meeting/
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Join EESI and Austin Energy on January 23, 2007 on Capitol Hill to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the National Plug-In Partner Campaign. Stay tuned to EESI's website for more details!
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EESI’s Transportation Program is eager to learn about your clean vehicle fleet/efforts. If you are in the process of procurement, or if you already operate heavy or light-duty vehicles that produce fewer emissions and consume less fuel than conventional diesel or gasoline powered vehicles, let us know if we haven’t heard – and told -- your story! We’ll post this information on our website and include it in future editions of Clean Motion! |
| Clean Motion is a free monthly periodical providing an overview of current program and policy activities related to the deployment of low-polluting, energy-efficient transportation in the United States. Topics include technology developments, clean vehicle deployment, energy consumption, the environment, government policy, and public health. If there are issues we are missing and you think we should cover, please let us know. |
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The Environmental and Energy Study Institute is a non-profit organization established in 1984 by a bipartisan, bicameral group of members of Congress to provide timely information on energy and environmental policy issues to policymakers and stakeholders and develop innovative policy solutions that set us on a cleaner, more secure and sustainable energy path . EESI's valuable work in energy, climate change, agriculture, transportation and smart growth is made possible through financial support from people like you. Your tax deductible contribution will help EESI develop innovative policy solutions for a cleaner, safer, healthier world. For more information, go to our website or contact Shefali Ranganathan at sranganathan@eesi.org or call 202-662-1883.
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