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Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report, October 2018
3/13/2019
The Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report for October 2018 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 October 1, 2018 and October 15, 2018, 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 increased 3 cents from $2.88 to $2.91; diesel increased 12 cents from $3.24 to $3.36; CNG decreased 3 cents from $2.22 to $2.19; ethanol (E85) increased 3 cents from $2.35 to $2.38; propane increased 6 cents from $2.81 to $2.87; and biodiesel (B20) increased 3 cents from $3.06 to $3.09.
According to Table 3, CNG is $.72 less than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis, while E85 is $0.19 more than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis.
Authors: Bourbon, E.
The Case of E15
3/8/2019
This report is a comprehensive assessment, presented as individual case studies, of retailer experiences selling E15, including the decision process, requirements to sell E15, equipment configurations, marketing strategy and consumer response.
Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Driving and Fueling Behavior
3/6/2019
The objectives of this project are to validate hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles in real-world settings and to identify the current status and evolution of the technology. The analysis objectively assesses progress toward targets and market needs defined by the U.S. Department of Energy and stakeholders, provides feedback to hydrogen research and development, and publishes results for key stakeholder use and investment decisions. Fiscal year 2018 objectives focused on analysis and reporting of fuel cell electric vehicle driving range, fuel economy, drive and fill behaviors, durability, fill performance, and fuel cell performance. This report specifically addresses the topics of driving range, fuel economy, drive and fill behaviors, and fill performance.
Authors: Kurtz, J.; Sprik, S.; Saur, G.; Onorato, S.
Impacts of Ridesourcing on Vehicle Miles Traveled, Parking Demand, Transportation Equity, and Travel Behavior
3/1/2019
Ride-haling platforms, such as Uber and Lyft, are changing the ways people travel and are critical to forecasting mode choice demands and providing adequate infrastructure. Despite widespread claims that these services help reduce driving and the need for parking, there is little research on these topics. This research project collects quantitative and qualitative data on ride-hailing and analyzes the impacts of ride-hailing on deadheading, vehicle occupancy, mode replacement, vehicle miles traveled, and parking. The dataset includes actual travel attributes from ride-hailing rides and travel behavior and socio-demographics from 311 passenger surveys.
Authors: Henao, A.; Marshall, W.; Janson, B.
Meeting 2025 Zero Emission Vehicle Goals: An Assessment of Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure in Maryland
2/20/2019
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has been enlisted to conduct a statewide assessment of the electric vehicle charging infrastructure requirements for Maryland to meet its goal of supporting 300,000 zero emission vehicles by 2025. NREL's Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Projection Tool (EVI-Pro) was used to generate scenarios of statewide charging infrastructure to support consumer plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) adoption based on travel patterns provided by INRIX (a commercial mapping/traffic company) that are used to characterize regional travel in Maryland and to anticipate future demand for PEV charging. Results indicate that significant expansion of Maryland's electric vehicle charging infrastructure will be required to support the state's PEV goal for 2025. Analysis shows that a fleet of 300,000 PEVs will require 17,400 workplace Level 2 plugs, 9,300 public Level 2 plugs, and 1,000 fast charge plugs. These estimates assume that future PEVs will be driven in a manner consistent with present day gasoline vehicles and that most charging will happen at residential locations. A sensitivity study explores edge cases pertaining to several assumptions, highlighting factors that heavily influence the projected infrastructure requirements. Variations in the makeup of the PEV fleet, evolving consumer charging preferences, and availability of residential charging are all shown to influence 2025 infrastructure requirements.
Authors: Moniot, M.; Rames, C.; Wood, E.
Assessing Ride-Hailing Company Commitments to Electrification
2/7/2019
This briefing assesses electric vehicle adoption among five of the world’s largest ride-hailing companies. It discusses company-specific electric vehicle adoption, examines plans for future growth, and catalogs the unique actions that companies are exploring to promote electric ride-hailing on their platforms.
Authors: Slowik, P.; Fedirko, L.; Lutsey, N.
Next-Generation Grid Communications for Residential Plug-in Electric Vehicles
1/25/2019
As residential plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) charging loads increase, they represent significant contributions to local distribution circuits, and if not managed, can have negative effects on local electricity grid stability. For residential PEV participation to be effective for grid stabilization, it is key to have detailed data collection, coordination at charging stations owned by different parties, sensitivity to each driver’s needs and preferences, and real-time understanding of each vehicle’s state of charge or charge necessary. This pilot project tested the technology ecosystems required to handle adding significant PEV load to the grid.
Authors: Patadia, S.; Rodine, C.
Quantifying the Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Gap Across U.S. Markets
1/23/2019
The electrification of the United States vehicle market continues, with the most growth occurring in markets where barriers are addressed through policy, charging infrastructure, and consumer incentives. This report quantifies the gap in charging infrastructure from what was deployed through 2017 to what is needed to power more than 3 million expected electric vehicles by 2025, consistent with automaker, policy, and underlying market trends. Based on the expected growth across the 100 most populous U.S. metropolitan areas, this report estimates the amount of charging of various types that will be needed to power these vehicles.
Authors: Nicholas; M.; Hall, D.; Lutsey, N.
MOVES Activity Updates Using Fleet DNA Data: Interim Report
1/16/2019
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Motor Vehicle Emissions Simulator (MOVES) is a publicly available tool used by researchers and policy makers to help understand motor vehicle emission sources at national, county, and project levels. However, estimates of heavy-duty activity (MOVES2014), have been identified as areas needing improvement. The start activities in MOVES2014 are calculated using a limited data set, prompting the concern that inventory values are not representative. In addition, MOVES2014 is believed to underestimate heavy-duty activity that is not captured in the current drive cycles used to represent on-network activity. For example, MOVES2014 does not account for work-day idling activity that takes place on off-network roads, such as at a distribution center while the truck is queuing or during loading and unloading. Under the guidance and expertise of the EPA, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory has leveraged its extensive Fleet DNA database of heavy-duty vehicles to reinforce the data set behind the next-generation MOVES model and enhance idle activity and start fractions using six heavy-duty vehicle classes. The data available in Fleet DNA from 420 conventional, diesel powered vehicles provided over 120,000 hours of operation. Start fraction, soak fraction, and idle fraction by hour of the day were derived for each source type, state, and vocation, and results were provided in the form of .CSV files representing MOVES table inputs. This midterm report details these results providing graphical analysis and context for the start, soak, and idle distributions.
Authors: Kotz, A.; Kelly, K.
When Does Electrifying Shared Mobility Make Economic Sense?
1/14/2019
Over the past several years, the reach and use of shared vehicles has expanded significantly throughout the United States, particularly in large metropolitan areas. Use of ride-hailing fleets, often referred to as transportation network companies, is especially on the rise. The deployment of plug-electric vehicles (PEVs) has accelerated in many of the same urban areas experiencing growth in shared mobility. This report assesses the timing of cost-effectively electrifying shared mobility fleets in U.S. cities, with a focus on ride-hailing. The study includes a total cost of operation metric for conventional vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, and PEVs in eight U.S. cities to assess changing purchase and operating costs through 2025.
Authors: Pavlenko, N.; Slowik, P.; Lutsey, N.
Notes:
This copyrighted publication can be accessed on The International Council on Clean Transportation's website.
Technology Maintenance Readiness Guide for Zero-Emission Buses
1/10/2019
Transit agencies all over the United States are deploying zero-emission buses (ZEBs), including battery electric buses and fuel cell electric buses. Air quality is the primary driver for adopting ZEBs, especially in states where legislation has been passed to regulate vehicle emissions. The U.S. Department of Energy, through its National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), tracks the progress of these advanced technologies as they are being developed and demonstrated. NREL works with transit agencies and their manufacturing partners to conduct independent third-party evaluations to validate performance under real-world service and report on the status of the technologies toward entering the market. The results are intended to help transit agencies understand the technology status and make informed purchase decisions.
Increasing Electric Vehicle Fast Charging Deployment: Electricity Rate Design and Site Host Options
1/1/2019
Plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) provide customer, environmental, energy grid, and national security benefits. However, limited access to charging infrastructure remains a major hurdle to more rapid PEV adoption. While most PEV charging occurs at home, additional publicly located charging stations – both Level 2 and direct current (DC) fast charging stations – are needed. This paper presents a range of options to increase the deployment of DC fast charging infrastructure, either through rate design or through implementation by the site host. Given the early stages of DC fast charging infrastructure deployment, learning-by-doing is an important option to consider.
Notes:
This copyrighted publication can be accessed through the Brattle Group's website.
Fuel Cell Buses in U.S. Transit Fleets: Current Status 2018
12/31/2018
This report, published annually, summarizes the progress of fuel cell electric bus (FCEB) development in the United States and discusses the achievements and challenges of introducing fuel cell propulsion in transit. The report provides a summary of results from evaluations performed by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) National Renewable Energy Laboratory. This annual status report combines results from all FCEB demonstrations, tracks the progress of the FCEB industry toward meeting technical targets, documents the lessons learned, and discusses the path forward for commercial viability of fuel cell technology for transit buses. The data from these early FCEB deployments funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation, state agencies, and the private sector help to guide future early-stage research and development. The 2018 summary results primarily focus on the most recent year from August 2017 through July 2018.
Authors: Eudy, L.; Post, M.
Model Year 2019 Fuel Economy Guide: EPA Fuel Economy Estimates
12/19/2018
The Fuel Economy Guide is published by the U.S. Department of Energy as an aid to consumers considering the purchase of a new vehicle. The Guide lists estimates of miles per gallon (mpg) for each vehicle available for the new model year. These estimates are provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in compliance with Federal Law. By using this Guide, consumers can estimate the average yearly fuel cost for any vehicle. The Guide is intended to help consumers compare the fuel economy of similarly sized cars, light duty trucks and special purpose vehicles.
