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Transportation Electrification Study
11/1/2019
Many cities around the country have undertaken actions and policies to support transportation electrification to improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, support residents that choose to drive electric vehicles (EVs), enhance equitable access to clean mobility, and promote economic development. This study recommends efforts the City of Raleigh can undertake to advance transportation electrification both in its own operations and in the community more broadly. The report describes recommended strategies and actions the City of Raleigh can undertake to advance transportation electrification in the areas of City of Raleigh municipal fleet, charging infrastructure, equity and access, equitable economic development and public engagement, and implementation roles and responsibilities.
Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment Tiger Team Site Assessment Findings from Army Facilities
10/31/2019
This report examines how the U.S. Army can cost-effectively install electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) to prepare for anticipated electric vehicle acquisitions, and summarizes results from 30 EVSE site visits completed at U.S. Army garrisons from 2016 to 2019. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Army, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory deployed Tiger Teams consisting of engineers and fleet experts to review garrison charging needs and develop recommendations for installing EVSE as well as compressed natural gas stations in certain locations.
Authors: Bennett, J.; Hodge, C.; Kurnik, C.; Kiatreungwattana, K.; Lynch, L.; Salasovich, J.
Foothill Transit Agency Battery Electric Bus Progress Report, Data Period Focus: Jan. 2019 through Jun. 2019
10/29/2019
This report summarizes results of a battery electric bus (BEB) evaluation at Foothill Transit, located in the San Gabriel Valley area of Los Angeles. Foothill Transit is collaborating with the California Air Resources Board and the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to evaluate the buses in revenue service. The focus of this evaluation is to compare the performance and the operating costs of the BEBs to that of conventional technology buses and to track progress over time. Previous reports documented results from April 2014 through December 2018. This report extends the data analysis through June 2019. The data period focus of this report is January 2019-June 2019. NREL plans to publish progress reports on the Foothill Transit fleet every 6 months through 2020.
Authors: Eudy, L.; Jeffers, M.
Measuring Mobility Potential: NREL Researchers Develop New Metric that Quantifies Mobility Energy Productivity
10/15/2019
This fact sheet provides an overview of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Mobility Energy Productivity (MEP) metric. The intent of the MEP metric is primarily to track changes in mobility within a single city, location, or place over time. The metric can measure current levels of mobility at a specific location, and then test how various technological advancements, services (e.g. scooters, ride hailing, automated vehicles), and infrastructure investments (e.g. bike lanes, mixed-used development) may impact the mobility of that location over time.
Authors: Garikapati, V.; Kelly, K.
Funding the Transition to All Zero-Emission Vehicles
10/14/2019
Governments around the world actively steer their markets toward all zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs). Among the key considerations for governments are: what types of support for incentives, infrastructure, and other programs are needed; how long to offer funding; and how the costs and benefits compare. This white paper analyzes the costs, benefits, and associated government funding, with the transition to all passenger ZEVs. The research quantifies funding based on incentives that are aligned with declining ZEV costs and the expenditures of exemplary programs in several high-ZEV uptake markets. The relative costs, benefits, and government outlays are analyzed for the transition to all ZEVs in the light-duty vehicle markets of the United States and Germany.
Authors: Slowik, P.; Hall, D.; Lutsey, N.; Nicholas, M.; Wappelhorst, S.
Notes:
This copyrighted publication can be accessed on The International Council on Clean Transportation's website.
Mobility Data and Models Informing Smart Cities
10/14/2019
Using emerging data platforms, new mobility technologies, and travel demand models (TDMs), researchers, industry, and communities seek to improve the quality of transportation while maximizing the energy efficiency, equity, and safety of transportation services. As transportation may soon reach over 30% of U.S. energy consumption and with urban areas representing an increasing proportion of the U.S. population (>80% since 2010), a critical need exists to engage in urban data science-informed approaches to enhancing mobility. The objective of this study is to explore and document how aspiring Smart Cities are using data and models to inform mobility and energy initiatives within Smart City programs and in so doing identify gaps in knowledge and processes guiding Smart City mobility investment strategies, programs, projects, and pilots. A primary focus of the Smart Cities studied was the creation of an integrated data sharing environment approach. Most of these systems are being developed in parallel with multiple new data analysis tools, while regional metropolitan planning organizations continue to slowly evolve TDMs to take into account impacts of long-term strategies for emerging mobility technologies and services. Smart City initiatives in the United States have keen interests in leveraging knowledge and research on the mobility benefits and risks of automated, connected, efficient/electric, and shared on-demand mobility services; and understanding the related energy, environmental, economic, and societal impacts of these shifts. The results serve to identify key gaps in data, knowledge, and methods required to advance energy efficient urban mobility innovation, and to enable research and analysis collaboration between Smart Cities and the U.S. Department of Energy's efforts enabling new Systems and Modeling for Accelerated Research in Transportation (SMART) Mobility.
Authors: Sperling, J.; Young, S.; Garikapati, V.; Duvall, A.; Beck, J.M.
Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report, July 2019
10/8/2019
The Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report for July 2019 is a quarterly report on the prices of alternative fuels in the U.S. and their relation to gasoline and diesel prices. This issue describes prices that were gathered from Clean Cities coordinators and stakeholders between July 1, 2019 and July 15, 2019, and then averaged in order to determine regional price trends by fuel and variability in fuel price within regions and among regions. The prices collected for this report represent retail, at-the-pump sales prices for each fuel, including Federal and state motor fuel taxes.
Table 2 reports that the nationwide average price (all amounts are per gallon) for regular gasoline has remained the same at $2.76; diesel decreased 5 cents from $3.09 to $3.04; CNG decreased a cent from $2.22 to $2.21; ethanol (E85) increased 5 cents from $2.31 to $2.36; propane decreased 7 cents from $2.90 to $2.83; and biodiesel (B20) decreased 2 cents from $2.88 to $2.86.
According to Table 3, CNG is $.55 less than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis, while E85 is $0.30 more than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis.
Authors: Bourbon, E.
Electric Vehicles: Key Trends, Issues, and Considerations for State Regulators
10/1/2019
Over the past few years, states across the country have seen increased consumer adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), thereby increasing electricity demand from the transportation sector. Electric utilities are at different stages of exploring their role in both building EV charging infrastructure and managing grid impacts, including through rate design and managed charging. As a result, many Public Utility Commissions (PUCs), the state agencies tasked with regulating utilities, are being asked to make decisions in this unfamiliar industry, sometimes without direct legislative guidance. This issue brief provides data about the trends in EV adoption, a synopsis of the types of decisions PUCs are facing, and examples of recent state regulatory approaches to EV questions.
Authors: Harper C.; McAndrews, G.; Sass Byrnett, D.
Transportation Electrification: States Rev Up
9/26/2019
States are pivotal to transitioning the transportation sector to electric drive vehicles. The transition necessitates decisions regarding a wide range of issues, including education and outreach efforts, vehicle and charging infrastructure incentives, the location and specifications of public charging infrastructure, electrification corridor designations and signage and, in some states, allowable vehicle emissions levels. This white paper explores state incentives and other policy tools to advance electrification.
Authors: Rogotzke, M.; Eucalitto, G.; Gander, S.
Co-Optimization of Fuels & Engines. Toxicology and Biodegradability of Tier Three Gasoline Blendstocks: Literature Review of Available Data
9/24/2019
This study provides framework for decision makers to more fully evaluate the toxicology and biodegradability of the tier three gasoline blendstocks developed under Co-Optima. These Co-Optima blendstocks were compared to gasoline surrogate compounds, providing guidance for future consideration as the project progresses. Due to the complexity of the subject area, all compounds were considered only in their pure form, not as complex mixtures with gasoline, which was outside the scope of this study. The metrics applied to the blendstocks were environmental transport and fate, environmental and human health toxicity, and environmental regulatory framework. The blendstocks (cyclopentanone; diisobutylene; 2-methylfuran; 2,5-dimethylfuran; isobutanol; ethanol; and isopropanol) presented limited human toxicity based on the information available. All the blendstocks migrated primarily into air or water, with little mobility between these compartments. Coupled with aerobic and/or anaerobic biodegradability, long term environmental persistence is unlikely, with the only exception being diisobutylene, which was not biodegradable. Additional work should focus on the environmental impact of these blendstocks in complex mixtures, such as gasoline, which will represent more real world scenarios.
Authors: Alleman, T.L.; Smith, D.
How Can Taxes and Fees on Ride-Hailing Fleets Steer Them to Electrify?
9/19/2019
The early transition to plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) continues in many markets. Likewise, the use of ride-hailing services continues to greatly expand. However, only a limited number of vehicles used for ride-hailing—about 1%—are electric, which is less than the global PEV sales share of new vehicles in 2018. This paper analyzes the economic opportunity for government taxes and fees to steer ride-hailing fleets toward electric.
Authors: Slowik, P.; Wappelhorst, S.; Lutsey, N.
Notes:
This copyrighted publication can be accessed on The International Council on Clean Transportation's website.
Assessing the Business Case for Hosting Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in New York State
9/12/2019
As the plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) market grows, so does the demand for public charging stations. Public charging infrastructure expansion is limited by high upfront costs of equipment and installation, uncertain usage of charging services, and consumers’ willingness to pay for public charging. To date, public funding has been an important component of cost recovery and value maximization for station hosts. This white paper evaluates the business case of hosting a Level 2 charging station in New York State. In addition, the report explores scenarios that vary charging-use and revenue sources to better understand the key factors that drive profitability from hosting these stations. The goal of the report is to harness real-world experience to establish an understanding of current charging behavior and inform future efforts to expand the PEV market in New York.
The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS): An Overview
9/4/2019
Established by Congress in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, the RFS mandates that U.S. transportation fuels contain a minimum volume of biofuel. This report provides a basic description of the RFS, including some of the widely discussed policy issues related to it.
Curb Enthusiasm: Report for On-Street Electric Vehicle Charging
8/15/2019
A critical barrier to the successful large-scale adoption of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) in metropolitan areas is the availability of public access charging infrastructure. Charging PEVs in areas with limited off-street parking, where charging equipment is typically installed, becomes a perceptual and logistical barrier for prospective PEV drivers who primarily park on-street. The targeted deployment of curbside Level 2 charging stations is one of the most cost-effective and catalytic ways that local government can support a shift toward PEVs in cities. Through original research, analysis, and case studies, this report seeks to define the potential for curbside Level 2 charging station implementation in New York City and to establish guidelines to ensure success. The report and its accompanying guidebook are intended to be a resource for New York City agencies as well as local governments looking to pilot curbside charging.
Exploring Energy-Efficient and Sustainable Urban Mobility Strategies: An Initial Framework to Curate Data/Models, Measure Performance, and Diffuse Innovation
8/12/2019
Many cities across the United States seek to understand the maturity of data and models that are available to help manage challenges, opportunities, and uncertainties associated with the shifts in technologies, human behaviors and sustainable urban mobility strategies. One key question identified for smart city action planning includes how to best shape continuous improvements for urban populations at the intersection of mobility, energy, and quality of life? With the emerging megatrends of urbanization (more than 70% of world population in cities by 2050), on-demand shared mobility, vehicle electrification, and automated vehicles, initial 'urban science' studies to date have demonstrated the potential and need for maturing the related data and model ecosystems and on-going performance measurement across multiple urban system goals: e.g., from more mobility, clean and efficient energy use, accessibility and safety to less air pollution, traffic, and resource-intensive urban sprawl. To build on emerging literature and understand city responses to disruptive change, this initial study engages researchers and practitioners across four smart city finalists (Columbus, Denver, Austin and Portland) that competed in the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Smart City Challenge. The initial results emphasize the need for a suite of datasets and diverse analytical approaches that support U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) relevant research with cities. Considering desirable energy and mobility outcomes as a first step to advancing smart city solutions strategies, we systematically review approaches of and shortcomings in four U.S. cities, and suggest improvements in three areas: measurement, modeling effectiveness of new mobility technologies, and data-driven governance.
Authors: Sperling, J,; Young, S.; Beck, J,; Garikapati, V.; Hou, Y.; Duval, A.
