State grants through the Texas Clean Fleet Program will be used largely to reimburse upfront costs for alt-fuel vehicles. The program defines alt-fuel vehicles as any vehicle powered by electricity, compressed natural gas (CNG), hydrogen, propane or M85. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality will also select qualifying hybrids that use at least two energy sources for propulsion. Grant recipients will receive between 50% and 80% reimbursement for the costs of replacing traditional vehicles.

Major criteria for this round of grant funding including emissions reductions, fleet size and public demonstrations in Texas cities. Each applicant must achieve an estimated cut of 25% in nitrogen oxide emissions to become a finalist. Successful applicants are required to operate a fleet of at least 75 passenger vehicles and plan replacement of at least 20 vehicles. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality requires funded projects to operate in Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Port Arthur, San Antonio, Tyler-Longview or Victoria. These operations must last at least five years or 400,000 miles in order to educate the public about alt-fuel vehicles and encourage investment in local industries.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) notes that Texas has the second largest fleet of alt-fuel vehicles behind California. The Lone Star State combines research universities including the flagship university in Austin with energy industry powers based in Houston, San Antonio and Dallas. Texas is often painted as a conservative stronghold locked in thrall of the oil industry. The Texas Clean Fleet Program makes strides against this perception albeit with a relatively small investment. Applicants seeking $5.7 million in state grants are pushing Texas toward an energy industry that can be profitable as well as environmentally responsible.

The big winner in this round of grant funding is CALSTART, which received $14.4 million for an alt-fuel demonstration project. CALSTART plans road testing and public demonstrations of 29 alt-fuel vehicles throughout California. These vehicles range from hybrid-diesel commercial vehicles to all-electric taxis on the verge of hitting the market. Grant funding allows CALSTART to test nine varieties of drive system to determine their feasibility on local roads. This significant investment allows CALSTART to educate the public about green transportation and create more than 600 jobs by 2015.

A majority of the projects benefiting from state grants are focused on developing biofuel infrastructure. Propel Biofuels received $10.1 million to install and maintain 101 E85 fueling stations at existing gas stations around the state. These stations could potentially serve 500,000 flex-fuel vehicles by tripling the existing number of refueling centers. SacPort Biofuels Corp. was granted $5 million to open a biomass diesel production facility adjacent to the Port of West Sacramento. This production center could generate 365,000 gallons of biodiesel per year. Springboard Diesel will use $758,000 to open a biodiesel plant in Chico capable of producing 1,000 gallons per day. Whole Energy Pacifica received $25,000 to expand a biofuel blending facility in Richmond.

The California Energy Commission also committed significant funds to smaller demonstration projects around the state. The Gas Technology Institute has been allotted $4.5 million for two demonstration projects in conjunction with hybrid technology groups. Researchers at the Gas Technology Institute are planning demonstrations of three plug-in hybrids with the U.S. Hybrid Corp. This funding also helps the Institute fund testing for a CNG-powered Navistar Maxxforce truck sponsored by Clean Air Power. Reynolds Buick-GMC in West Covina is receiving $16,000 to offset costs of leasing two CNG pickup trucks to California residents.

Propel Fuels is working with the California Energy Commission to serve a broader range of consumers interested in alternative fuels. The commission’s Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology initiative provided funding and technical assistance in establishing the Clean Mobility Center. Representatives from Propel and the California Energy Commission hope that Clean Mobility Centers help the state achieve lower emissions under the Low Carbon Fuel Standard. An important component of the Clean Mobility Center is that biofuel drivers can offset emissions at the pump. Each pump allows a motorist to buy offsets through the Carbonfund.org Foundation that contribute to greener power generation.

Each Clean Mobility Center will feature additional opportunities for motorists and cyclists to reduce their impacts on the environment. Propel Fuels has installed free air stations for motorists concerned about losing fuel economy due to deflated tires. Commuters can access details about local buses, trains and ridesharing opportunities using the center’s transit kiosk. Cyclists can receive quick repairs and maintenance using the tuning station within the center. Propel Fuels also notes that gas and biofuel pumps could be joined by other alternative fuels within the next few years.

Propel Fuels has shown the future of service stations with the Clean Mobility Center in Fullerton. The side-by-side placement of traditional and alternative fuels portends a future where motorists can access similar pumps for electricity, hydrogen and natural gas. The Clean Mobility Center also serves bicyclists rather than assuming that all commuters are reliant on cars, trucks and SUVs. Features like carbon offsets, educational kiosks and recycling facilities recognize the holistic approach necessary for eco-friendly transportation. The energy industry must emulate the work of Propel Fuels in order to stay ahead of consumer interest in green vehicles.

The European Federation for Transport and Environment (T&E) has published reports the past six years detailing emissions reductions in the European auto industry. The latest report entitled 2011 Cars & CO2 Report: How Clean Are Europe’s Cars? concludes that automakers in Europe have trimmed carbon emissions by 3.7% compared to 2009 models. The winner in terms of emissions reductions was Volvo Cars with a fleet reduction of 9% from 2009 to 2010. T&E focuses on tailpipe emissions and carbon footprint measured in real-world situations without factoring weight into their analysis.

2011 Cars & CO2 Report analyzed leading automakers by percentage reduction, average emissions and proximity to EU emissions targets. Volvo’s 9% reduction topped the chart with a handful of automakers falling in a range from 2% to 6%. T&E found that Mazda and Honda actually saw increases in their fleet emissions from the 2009 model year. The average vehicle emissions list was led by Fiat (126g/km), Toyota (129g/km) and Peugeot (131g/km). EU emissions standards require average emissions of 130 g/km for each company’s fleet by 2015 with slight variations based on vehicle weight. The report found that Toyota had nearly achieved the 2015 emissions goal last year while Volvo was among the furthest from their goal with an 8% gap to fill.

The success of Volvo Cars in the past year emerged from a focus on clean diesel technology popular among European consumers. The automaker’s V50 DRIVe achieved an emissions level of 99g/km and the V70 DRIVe 119g/km through efficient drive systems. Volvo is currently working on more substantial hybrids and all-electric vehicles though the DRIVe line is Volvo’s strategy for the foreseeable future. The T&E report is likely celebrated within Volvo’s research and management teams though the results show that Volvo had a long way to go before 2010.

T&E’s research seems positive on the whole though the details are disconcerting for automakers that must meet EU guidelines by 2015. Toyota, Peugeot and Fiat represent the only automakers in Europe of the top 15 companies within 5% of the 2015 EU emissions standard. Automakers have pushed hybrid, diesel and alt-fuel vehicles to the fore in the past two years. The questions that remain are whether automakers can introduce more efficient vehicles by 2015 and how emissions can be cut quickly in poor economic circumstances. European corporations and governments may need to invest heavily in eco-friendly vehicles over the next four years to push automakers to expedite green vehicle technology.

Representatives from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently announced grants totaling $175 million to projects dealing with advanced automotive technology. These grants will be issued to 40 projects located in 15 states that deal with advanced fuels, body construction, batteries and drive systems. Recipients of the latest DOE grants already possess $300 million in private, state and federal grants needed to advance green vehicle technology. This holistic approach to eco-friendly vehicle development could yield lower prices and higher fuel efficiency over the next generation.

Grants issued to battery, electric motor and advanced fuel producers should help automakers meet the needs of eco-conscious consumers. Penn State University received $5 million to develop lightweight lithium-sulfur batteries while Amprius Inc. ($4.9 million) is researching advanced silicon anodes for lithium-ion batteries. General Motors headlined electric motor projects by receiving $6 million to develop advanced power inverters. The Alliance for Sustainable Energy LLC will use $1.5 million in DOE grants to study fuel additives that could increase efficiency in internal combustion engines.

The U.S. DOE was also interested in promoting lightweight vehicle frames and waste capture technology to boost automotive efficiency. Metal Oxygen Separation Technologies Inc. is among five recipients focusing on lightweight materials used in the production of vehicle development. This research firm received $6 million to develop an efficient and inexpensive process for producing magnesium vehicle frames. Amerigon Incorporated was among the big winners in this round of DOE funding with $8 million in federal grants. Amerigon is researching methods of converting heat from exhaust gas into electricity for green vehicles. This waste capture system could increase fuel efficiency by 5% without prohibitive costs to automakers and consumers.

Six recipients were awarded grants to facilitate fleet vehicle improvements as well as green vehicle testing. Cooper Tire & Rubber Company will use $1.5 million to create fuel-efficient replacement tires that could help aftermarket customers increase fuel efficiency by 3%. The University of California-Riverside ($1.2 million) and Eaton Corporation ($914,000) are developing tools to increase accuracy while eliminating driver bias during fleet vehicle testing. The Electric Transportation Engineering Corp. was the recipient of the biggest grant at $26,420,018. Engineers at the firm are developing realistic lab tests for green vehicle prototypes that simulate alternative fuel consumption, road conditions and driving behaviors.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Hybrid Vehicle Team has developed a reputation for innovation in recent years. This student-led team within the College of Engineering has participated in the EcoCAR Competition, the ChallengeX Competition and the Future Truck Challenge. Students and engineering faculty have gone beyond the usual sedans and coupes in these competitions, opting instead for the Saturn VUE and Chevy Equinox. The UW-Madison Engine Research Center is currently working with the team to test Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition (RCCI) engines developed in campus laboratories.

Professor Rolf Reitz and fellow mechanical engineering professors developed the RCCI to reduce emissions while increasing engine efficiency. The RCCI engine operates with dual fuels including diesel, gasoline, biodiesel and ethanol. Reitz developed the RCCI technology to mix both fuels before multiple injections timed to reduce fuel waste. This engine design achieves an estimated 53% increase in fuel efficiency during computer simulations while drastically reducing nitrogen oxide levels. Hybrid Vehicle Team advisor Glenn Bower noted that an RCCI engine used in the team’s specially designed vehicles could cut overall emissions by 75%.

Reitz will work with the Hybrid Vehicle Team to convert two of the team’s competition vehicles to operate with RCCI engines. The Saturn VUE hybrid called the eMOOve should be converted in time for demonstrations in 2012. Undergraduate and graduate students are also working on converting the hybrid-electric MOOVADA Chevy Equinox by 2013. The timetable for converting these vehicles covers more than 24 months due to precise specifications for the RCCI. This technology uses more than 1,000 different speeds and injection loads to achieve maximum efficiency.

The Hybrid Vehicle Team will discuss the RCCI overhaul as well as future competition plans at upcoming appearances at the Dane County Green Drive Expo and Wisconsin State Fair. This experiment in internal combustion engine efficiency should benefit from the school’s innovative research tools and resources. Reitz’s RCCI design combined with current efficiencies in the eMOOVe and MOOVADA could show the public the future of the traditional gas engine. Reitz, Bower and others involved in the RCCI project note that the biggest problem facing this project is the absence of dual-fuel pumps. A vehicle with an RCCI engine needs to be refueled by a pump that transfers both fuels at the same time. This limitation should be seen as an opportunity by energy companies and universities to develop fueling equipment for this emerging technology.

The EcoCAR Challenge sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will conclude this June with final presentations in Washington, D.C. This three-year competition challenged 16 university teams from the United States and Canada to develop fuel-efficient drive systems using General Motors vehicles. Officials at the DOE along with more than 25 sponsors have built off the federal government’s Advanced Vehicle Technology Competitions dating back to 1988. As EcoCAR Challenge: The Next Challenge ends, the DOE and private corporations have announced EcoCAR2: Plugging into the Future. This announcement took place at the 2011 SAE World Congress in Detroit, Michigan.

Participants in EcoCAR2: Plugging into the Future include three Canadian universities from Ontario and British Columbia. The remaining participants include major research universities like Penn State, Colorado State and the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. Every team will spend the next three years incorporating alternative fuel technology into a prototype version of the 2013 Chevy Malibu. EcoCAR teams adhere to the GM Vehicle Development Process, which requires the perfect balance of performance, driving comfort, safety and handling.

The primary goal of EcoCAR2 participants is the reduction of fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by replacing fossil fuels with alternative sources. The DOE and GM note that university teams will draw from sources including B20, hydrogen fuel cells and electricity to achieve these aims. The challenge’s first year includes design work and computer simulations prior to drive-system development in the second year. The final year of EcoCAR2 is spent converting schematics into production models prior to testing during the concluding event. Each phase of EcoCAR2 includes judging that results in more than $100,000 in prizes issued to the most successful teams.

Corporate sponsorship of EcoCAR2: Plugging into the Future is integral to leveraging the considerable intellectual capacity of participants. GM is considered a co-sponsor of the event and provides vehicles and testing facilities to university teams. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) works with team organizers to ensure that vehicle designs meet emissions standards. Manufacturers like A123 Systems provide hardware, technical expertise and training to ensure that early designs evolve into practical solutions. The U.S. DOE is working with Natural Resources Canada to share data from EcoCAR2 that could inform federal transportation policy. The immediate transition from EcoCAR to EcoCAR2 shows a continued interest in developing advanced automotive technologies in North America.

The opening of Watkins Glen International in western New York comes with a nod toward the evolution of green vehicles. This race track hosts the 7th Annual Green Grand Prix on April 15, 2011 as part of its opening weekend. High school and college teams around the United States will test their green vehicles during 50-mile and 100-mile rallies. The facility’s 2.45-mile course allows teams and observers to assess innovation from future engineers and designers. Admission to the Green Grand Prix is free with team registration fees starting at $75.

Organizers of the Green Grand Prix note that the event features entrants from recent Automotive X Prize and Electrathon contests. X Prize teams from Cornell University, West Philadelphia High School and other schools have registered with the Grand Prix. This event should feature entrants from Electrathon America , a national competition featuring high school teams testing prototypes of long-range electric vehicles. Electrathon America teams develop demonstrators limited to 150 pounds, four wheels and a maximum battery weight of 67 pounds. The event could draw teams from New York, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Indiana that broke into vehicle development through these events.

Participants in the Green Grand Prix will be divided into 15 categories based on size and drive system. Each team is separated into fuel economy classes ranging from the 27-32 MPG category to the 45-50 MPG category. Participants will also be separated by fuel type including vegetable oil, liquefied petroleum, flex-fuel and compressed natural gas. The Green Grand Prix allows teams to use kits for vehicle development or build from scratch. Team requirements include the addition of functioning brakes to each car as well as five-point racing harnesses. Organizers included these requirements not only to ensure driver safety but simulate requirements for production vehicles.

The 7th Annual Green Grand Prix should highlight the innovation necessary for green vehicle research and development. Sponsors include industry heavyweights like Toyota, Honda and A123 Systems as well as the Glen Region of Sports Car Club of America. Past participants in the Automotive X Prize and Electrathon America events could attract more attention to western New York. At the very least, the support of industry players in an event like the Green Grand Prix should encourage aspiring innovators to stay on task over the next generation.

The recent Salao Internacional du Automovel (Brazil Motor Show) in Sao Paulo, Brazil highlighted the nation’s love affair with ethanol. Brazil is the world’s largest exporter of ethanol and one of the top producers of the alternative fuel. This national commitment to ethanol derived from sugar cane has led to substantial investments from Exxon, BP and other energy companies. Brazilian consumers have responded by purchasing more than 10 million flex-fuel vehicles as of summer 2010. Kia is trying to take advantage of this valuable market with a flex-fuel version of its Soul multi-purpose vehicle.

This ethanol-powered vehicle was among the vehicles highlighted at the Brazil Motor Show. Kia plans to deliver thousands of Soul Flex units to Brazilian dealers by January 2011. The automaker was keen to point out that this car represents the first flex-fuel model from a Korean company. Drivers will be able to alternate between gasoline, ethanol and a mixture of the two fuels depending on fuel availability.

Kia noted that the Soul Flex would achieve fuel improvements of 44% compared to the standard Soul due to design changes. The 94kW gas engine and the fuel injection system have been improved slightly to eliminate inefficiencies that waste fuel. This flex-fuel model is also designed to move beyond the Brazilian market with subtle touches like the gas tank assistance system. The Soul Flex is capable of starting easily in cooler temperatures using stored energy from past use.

Brazilian consumers have embraced Kia models in significant numbers over the past year. Kia cites a 151% increase in new car sales in Brazil from September 2009 to September 2010. This figure includes sales exceeding 40,000 units in September 2010. The Soul Flex will fit well into Kia’s Brazilian strategy because statistics show that 85% of new car sales in Brazil this year have been flex-fuel models.

The Soul Flex hitting the streets of Sao Paulo in the next few months will be reconfigured for other international markets soon. Kia is testing the Soul Flex in a friendly market with a substantial infrastructure for ethanol refueling. The United States, India, Canada and other nations are trying to catch up to Brazil through government subsidies and private investment. These ethanol producers could become prime targets for the Kia Soul Flex over the next five years. We should continue to question the environmental impact of ethanol production but it is clear that emerging economies are embracing this alternative fuel source.

The X Prize Foundation has announced that its $10 million grand prize will be divided among three participants at the conclusion of the 2010 competition. The foundation has reviewed 111 competitors and 136 vehicles throughout 2010 in search of the next generation of fuel-efficient vehicles. The last round of tests at the Argonne National Labs found a trio of vehicles that achieved a miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) over 100. These vehicles were produced by Edison2 based in Virginia, Li-ion Motors Corporation of North Carolina and X-Tracer of Switzerland.

Edison2’s Very Light Car took home the $5 million prize for winning the Mainstream Class. This four-seat vehicle achieved a fuel mileage of 102.5 MPGe using a 30kW engine powered by E85. The Very Light Car weighed in at about 830 pounds thanks to lightweight panels and components. Edison2 representatives noted during the competition that its entry would work just as well with all-electric or hybrid drive systems. The choice of E85 came just prior to the first stage of the X Prize as the design team wanted an inexpensive fuel source.

The $2.5 million Alternative Side-by-Side Class prize was won by the Li-ion Motors Wave II. The Wave II is a two-seat EV with a durable aluminum body weighing just less than 2,200 pounds. Li-ion Motors were able to achieve a sustained fuel mileage of 187 MPGe during road testing and lab verification. This EV demonstrated a range of 100 miles with a 0-60MPH time of 14.7 seconds.

The Alternative Tandem Class winner was the E-Tracer #79 by X-Tracer. The X-Tracer design team used an EV drive train by AC Propulsion to win the $2.5 million prize. The E-Tracer #79 features two interior wheels and a two-person cockpit with panoramic window. This 1,436-pound vehicle was one of the best in fuel economy with a verified rating of 205.3 MPGe. X-Tracer also noted that the E-Tracer #79 achieved a 0-60MPH time of 6.6 seconds, which would make it competitive with production vehicles.

This group of X Prize winners shows that the technology is available for a broader adoption of alt-fuel vehicles. The constant drum beat that alt-fuel vehicles are expensive, impractical and unattractive comes from interests that want to keep gas guzzlers on the road. Vehicles like the E-Tracer #79 and Wave II may not be replicated part for part but they act as glimpses into the future of transportation. Consumers need to rethink their perceptions of automobiles and transportation to turn these novel innovations into production vehicles.