One of the goals of the US Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save (CARS) Act of 2009, more commonly known as 'Cash for Clunkers', was to improve the US vehicle fleet fuel efficiency. Previous studies of the program's environmental impact have focused mainly on the effect of improved fuel economy, and the resulting reductions in fuel use and emissions during the vehicle use phase. We propose and apply a method for analyzing the net effect of CARS on greenhouse gas emissions from a full vehicle life cycle perspective, including the impact of premature production and retirement of vehicles. We find that CARS had a one-time effect of preventing 4.4 million metric tons of CO 2 -equivalent emissions, about 0.4% of US annual light-duty vehicle emissions. Of these, 3.7 million metric tons are avoided during the period of the expected remaining life of the inefficient 'clunkers'. 1.5 million metric tons are avoided as consumers purchase vehicles that are more efficient than their next replacement vehicle would otherwise have been. An additional 0.8 million metric tons are emitted as a result of premature manufacturing and disposal of vehicles. These results are sensitive to the remaining lifetime of the 'clunkers' and to the fuel economy of new vehicles in the absence of CARS, suggesting important considerations for policymakers deliberating on the use of accelerated vehicle retirement programs as a part of the greenhouse gas emissions policy.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency contracted with FEV North America, Inc. to conduct a whole vehicle analysis of the potential for mass reduction and related cost impacts for a future light-duty pickup truck. The goal was to evaluate the incremental costs of reducing vehicle mass on a body on frame vehicle at levels that are feasible in the 2020 to 2025 model year (MY) timeframe given the design, material, and manufacturing processes likely to be available, without sacrificing utility, performance, or safety. The holistic, vehicle-level approach and body-structure CAE modeling that were demonstrated in a previous study of a mid-sized crossover utility vehicle were used for this study. In addition, evaluations of closures performance, durability, and vehicle dynamics that are unique to pickup trucks are included. Secondary mass reduction was also analyzed on a part by part basis with consideration of vehicle performance requirements. This paper presents an overview of the study "Vehicle Mass Reduction and Cost Analysis-Light-duty Pickup Truck Model Years 2020-2025", by FEV North America, Inc. This study indicates that when mass reduction strategies are considered using a full-vehicle approach, significant mass reduction can be achieved relative to a 2011 light-duty pickup while maintaining vehicle functional objectives. The incremental results are assembled into a curve for mass reduction costs (in $/kg), as a function of the vehicle mass reduction level. Results from the study show that relative to the baseline vehicle (2011MY), mass reduction levels below 9% can result in a cost savings (cumulative net incremental direct manufacturing costs) with cumulative costs increasing to $4.36/kg, or $2,228 per vehicle, at 21.4% (510.9 kg) mass reduction.
A variety of fuel-saving technologies have been implemented in light-duty vehicles since 2012 under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) and Department of Transportation (DOT)'s light-duty vehicle greenhouse gas emissions and fuel economy standards. Questions have arisen whether there are hidden costs that have not been included in the net benefit calculations as a result of adoption of the new technologies. In this paper, we replicate and expand results from Helfand et al. (2016). We define hidden costs of the new technologies as problems with operational characteristics such as acceleration, handling, ride comfort, noise, braking feel, and vibration, not all of which are easily measured by objective criteria. We overcome the empirical challenge by using data coded from online professional auto reviews that qualitatively evaluate fuel-saving technologies and operational characteristics for model years 2014 and 2015 vehicles. We estimate relationships of fuel-saving technologies and operational characteristics, including an overall vehicle assessment, and find little correlation of hidden costs with the technologies themselves. Variable quality of implementation of technologies across automakers may better explain negatively evaluated operational characteristics. The results imply that automakers have typically been able to implement fuel-saving technologies without harm to vehicle operational characteristics.
The coupling of transportation and electrical grid infrastructures through plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) offers the potential to improve system resilience by diversifying energy supply. In addition, adaptive behavioural responses can mitigate the effects of a disruption. This paper examines vehicle electrification and trip prioritisation as physical and behavioural determinants of transportation system resilience during a gasoline supply disruption using National Household Travel Survey data. Realised travel factor, the ratio of completed to demanded travel, is defined as an indicator of resilience. Simulations using the overall population indicate trip prioritisation improves resilience more than PEV adoption at lower levels of electrification (below 20 mile electric range), although household-level results vary according to fleet size and travel demand. While 67% of households require no adaptive change during a five-day disruption, additional households are able to complete all high-priority trips through trip prioritisation (+12%), PEV adoption (+14%), or a combination of both (+23%). . (2016) 'Physical and behavioural determinants of resilience in the transportation system: a case study of vehicle electrification and trip prioritisation', Int. J. Critical Infrastructures, Vol. 12, Nos. 1/2, pp.104-119. Biographical notes: Brandon M. Marshall holds a Bachelor in Electrical Engineering and is pursuing an MS/MBA in Sustainable Systems from the University of Michigan, School of Natural Resources and Ross School of Business. His master's thesis work investigates the life cycle impacts of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) and their effects on transportation system resilience. Physical and behavioural determinants of resilience 105 Kevin M. Bolon holds an MS (2008) and a PhD (2012) in Natural Resource He holds an MS (2005) and a PhD (2008) in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan, and a BS (2003) in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Oklahoma. His research includes modelling the electrical grid, transportation networks (including plug-in hybrid electric vehicles), and renewable energy technologies to calculate the environmental impacts of those systems. He is interested in understanding designed systems, especially a system's environmental impact, and how user behaviour influences a system's environmental impact.Gregory A. Keoleian is the Peter M. Wege Endowed Professor of Sustainable Systems at the University of Michigan with appointments in the School of Natural Resources and Environment and Civil and Environmental Engineering. He cofounded and serves as director of the Center for Sustainable Systems which was established in 1999. He holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan. His research over the past twenty five years has focused on the development and application of life cycle models and sustainability metrics to guide the design and improvement of products, technology and infrastructure systems. He has pioneered methods in lifecycle design, assessment an...
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.