HYBRID OPERATING EXPENSES p20
A BOBIT PUBLICATION
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ALT-FUEL USE IN TRANSIT FLEETS p22
WWW.GREENFLEETMAGAZINE.COM
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LONG ISLAND GOES ‘GREEN’
p26
JULY / AUGUST 2011
VOL.1, NO. 2
How to Build a Successful Green Fleet Retrofitting: Improve Fuel Efficiency on Existing Units Frito-Lay Trucks Get an Electric Boost
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CONTENTS J U L Y
/
A U G U S T
2 0 1 1
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V O L U M E
1
●
N O. . 2
features 6 Using Technology to Impact Driver Behavior The valuable data captured through telematics systems is helping fleet managers promote and teach eco-driving best practices among company drivers.
10 How to Build a Successful Green Fleet Three fleet industry professionals share best practices and offer advice on how to avoid mistakes in developing and implementing green fleet initiatives.
6
12 Retrofitting Your Way to an Alt-Fuel Vehicle Offering lower per-gallon fuel costs and clear environmental benefits, alt-fuel fleet units are the wave of the future. Using retrofitting as a viable solution, fleets don’t have to invest in new assets and can make the most of their existing fleet units.
16 Frito-Lay & Smith Electrify Medium-Duty Trucks As the seventh largest private fleet in the U.S., operating approximately 22,000 vehicles, Frito-Lay is incorporating medium-duty electric box trucks into its operations.
10
20 Real-World Hybrid Fleet Operating Expenses Several high-profile fleets have been utilizing hybrid vehicles for a few years and are speaking up about the results.
22 Transit Fleets Come Clean with Alternative-Fuel Technology The maturation of alternative fuels has made it easier for transit agencies to implement programs than it was for early adopters in the 1990s. Still, there are many lessons to learn from the early pioneers.
26 Helping Fleets Run Clean in Long Island Greater Long Island Clean Cities Coordinator Rita Ebert is supporting fleet efforts to leave petroleum behind.
16
departments 4 Industry News 28 Green Vehicle Showcase 35 Transit Showcase 36 Editorial
26 2
ON THE COVER: ©ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/DANIEL_M ©ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/DIMITRIS66
GREEN FLEET ■ JULY / AUGUST 2011
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INDUSTRY NEWS WRIGHT & FILIPPIS USING PROPANE VEHICLES TO REDUCE FUEL COSTS ROCHESTER HILLS, MI – Medical equipment and services provider Wright & Filippis recently replaced seven of its vehicles with propane-fueled versions and plans to convert five more before the end of the year, with potentially more conversions on the way. Out of a fleet of 177, 77 are used for delivery and customer service to end users; the rest are used for sales. Currently, the company’s seven propanefueled vehicles are headquartered at its Rochester Hills Central Distribution facility. Three of the vehicles are 2011-MY Ford E-350 cargo vans, and four are E-350 dual rear-wheel cutaway vans. The fleet has seen an overall fuel cost savings of more than $3,000 for the first three vehicles deployed. Additional details are available at www. greenfleetmagazine.com. Search keywords: Wright & Filippis.
Wright & Filippis unveiled one of its new propane-fueled vehicles at a ribbon-cutting ceremony. TOYOTA SAYS PRIUS v ON TRACK FOR U.S. DELIVERY THIS FALL TORRANCE, CA – Toyota’s upcoming Prius v is on track for delivery to U.S. fleet and retail customers this fall, a company spokesperson confirmed. The Prius v is the new, larger version of the Prius, providing up to 50 percent more cargo room than the original model, with a total of 34.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats. EPAestimated fuel economy is rated at 42 mpg city, 38 mpg highway, and 40 mpg combined.
The Prius v offers up to 50 percent more cargo room than the original Prius, according to Toyota. 4
Audi Sets Out to Become Carbon-Neutral OEM HERNDON, VA – Under the motto of “Audi balanced mobility,” Audi is gearing its efforts to pursue a major goal: complete CO2-neutral mobility. The automaker unveiled its e-gas project to the public for the first time May 12 and 13 in Hamburg, Germany. Audi balanced mobility refers to a sustainable approach that addresses every aspect of the automotive value-added chain and provides new impulses for all gas and power suppliers in Germany. To achieve this, Audi is systematically using clean power. “We are producing climate-friendly fuels and forming a new mindset for which our entire company stands. That’s the objective of Audi balanced mobility,” said Audi Chairman Rupert Stadler. Audi has set up an entire portfolio of sustainable sources of energy, which includes producing “green” power. The automaker contributes to the construction of offshore North Sea wind turbines, generating green power that is then fed into the public power grid. The company said it plans to use green power to produce and operate its electric-drive e-tron models in the future. A production unit will use some of this wind-generated electricity to manufacture hydrogen by means of electrolysis. Hydrogen can be used in the future as a source of energy for fuel-cell vehicles or, in an additional step, it can be used to manufacture methane, known at Audi as e-gas. It is chemically identical to natural gas and can power combustion engines. Starting in 2013, Audi will begin series production of TCNG models with engines powered by e-gas.
Veolia Installs ‘Green’ Safety Technology in 5,000 Vehicles LOMBARD, IL – Veolia Transportation, a private-sector operator of multiple modes of transit, is installing SmartDrive’s “eco-driving” technology in 5,000 of its vehicles throughout the U.S. Veolia began installing the Smart-Recorder systems in May. Following this rollout, the company plans to deploy the video-based safety and eco-driving solution within its entire fleet of Veolia transit, which includes vans, sedans, taxis, and paratransit vehicles. The company’s On-Demand division includes SuperShuttle, ExecuCar (private sedan service), and taxi businesses, in addition to shuttle services and tour buses. “Veolia is committed to helping its clients improve safety and productivity,” said Shelly Hall, Veolia’s vice president of safety, Transit Division. “We’re moving to SmartDrive because we want to continue to lead the transportation industry in identifying and encouraging driver safety and, in this era of escalating fuel costs, reducing fuel consumption.” SmartDrive uses video, audio, and ECU-connected vehicle data sensors to detect and record risky driving maneuvers, such as sudden stops, hard cornering, aggressive acceleration, and excessive speed. The system uses detection of these maneuvers to recommend actions to improve safe driving performance. The SmartDrive recorder system also enables drivers to instantly recognize fuel-wasting maneuvers with in-cab visual driver feedback. Because the SmartRecorder is connected to a vehicle’s engine computer, it’s possible to measure actual improvement in fuel savings, Veolia stated.
GREEN FLEET ■ JULY / AUGUST 2011
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INDUSTRY NEWS www.greenfleetmagazine.com
Fed Fleet Ordered to Purchase AFVs & Right-Size
Vice President Group Publisher, Auto Group
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama issued a memorandum directing the federal agencies
Editor
that operate the federal fleet of more than 600,000 civilian and non-tactical military vehicles to find ways to reduce petroleum-based fuel usage and cut costs. The memorandum includes a requirement that all new light-duty vehicles, leased or purchased by agencies, must be alternative-fueled vehicles by Dec. 31, 2015. Examples given include hybrid, electric, compressed natural gas (CNG), and biofuel vehicles. Executive vehicles used by federal agencies must be mid-size or smaller sedans (unless a larger vehicle is critical to the agency’s mission) and have limited engine sizes. In conjunction with the memorandum, the General Services Administration (GSA) launched a pilot project to bring electric vehicles (EVs) into the fleet. The GSA announced an initial purchase of more than 100 EVs, which it will lease to 20 agencies, including the Department of Energy, and will be located in Washington, D.C.; Detroit; Los Angeles; San Diego; and San Francisco. The GSA said it will also coordinate the installation of necessary charging stations for the pilot.
Sherb Brown
Mike Antich (310) 533-2467
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Production Manager
Dallas Adds 24 Electric Vehicles to Fleet
Brian Peach (310) 533-2548
DALLAS – The City of Dallas has added 24 electric vehicles to its fleet as part of the City’s ongoing
Art Director
commitment to reduce vehicle air emissions and fuel consumption. At nearly 40 percent, Dallas has one of the largest alternative-fueled fleets in Texas, according to the City. The vehicles, Miles ZX40ST trucks manufactured by Miles Electric Vehicles, were purchased with a Department of Energy grant facilitated by the North Central Texas Council of Governments. The Miles EV ZX40ST has a top speed of 25 mph. TXU Energy also added to Dallas’ clean fleet by donating a Chevrolet Volt electric vehicle to the City in May as part of its Brighten GreenBack program. According to Miles EV, battery life average is 25,000 miles, which is about 3.3 years of use. The company estimates the cost of operating a Miles ZX40ST truck is $0.0759 per mile. The City of Dallas purchased 24 Miles EV ZX40ST trucks.
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Light-Duty Hybrid Fleet Sales to Reach 7.4 Percent by 2015
Chairman
Edward J. Bobit
CEO
BOULDER, CO – A recent report from Pike Research forecasts sales of light-duty hybrid vehicles to
Ty F. Bobit
U.S. fleets to reach 7.4 percent of total fleet sales by 2015. The report found that over the next few years, corporations and governments will be focused on improving the efficiency of their vehicle fleets. In addition, the report forecasts fleet managers will increasingly turn to plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) to reduce lifetime operating expenses and lower vehicle emissions. Globally, Pike forecasts 1.3 million PEVs will be purchased for use in fleet operations between 2010 and 2015, with nearly 400,000 vehicles being sold annually by the end of the forecast period. Passenger cars will be the leading segment in the PEV fleet market over the next five years, representing more than 80 percent of total global sales in 2015. Additional details are available at www.greenfleetmagazine.com. Search keywords: Pike Research.
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Using
Driver
The valuable data captured through telematics systems is helping fleet managers promote and teach eco-driving best practices among company drivers. By Cindy Brauer
T
he power of telematics technology has been harnessed to impact the human variable in eco-conscious vehicle operations — the driver. Fleet managers are using the valuable data captured by invehicle telematic devices to promote and teach fuel-efficient, green driving habits among company drivers. With data such as mph history, idling times, speed, and driver performance — transmitted wirelessly to their desktops, laptops, or even smart phones — fleet managers can monitor and train drivers in eco-driving best practices. And hold accountable intractable gas-guzzlers and recalcitrant CO2-emitters. The accounts of two fleet managers illustrate how telematics systems have helped reduce fuel costs and curtail corporate greenhouse gas production.
WaterOne Fleet Finds Success with Training & Tracking Two years ago, when Stacy Clark joined WaterOne as fleet and building services man-
AT A GLANCE Telematics tools promote eco-driving best practices through tracking and reporting such fleet data as: ● Idle
time.
● Speeding ● Rapid
events.
acceleration and hard stops.
● MPG.
6
ager, the Kansas water utility started focusing on sustainability measures throughout its operations. A 13-year fleet veteran, Clark first looked to vehicle right-sizing, assessing cost-per-mile data, including fuel, maintenance, and depreciation of the utility’s 300unit service and maintenance fleet. Riding with drivers, examining job descriptions, and analyzing functions, Clark realized some of the utility’s vehicle assets “may have been overkill.” Migrating from V-8 pickups to a six-cylinder compact SUV nearly doubled vehicle fuel economy, Clark noted. His next move may be right-sizing the fleet’s large cargo vans to smaller units, such as the Ford Transit Connect. Once right-sizing, baseline, and benchmarking measures were underway — 70 percent of the sustainability picture, said Clark — he next looked to company drivers. “Roughly 30 percent of fuel efficiency is what the driver is doing. Even in a Prius, a driver can drive aggressively and too quickly,” neutralizing the vehicle’s fuel advantages, Clark pointed out. “Give drivers the right tools [a right-sized vehicle], then training, coaching, and tracking their progress is the next piece,” he said. Clark researched a variety of telematics providers, but found most systems too costly for his low-mileage fleet. “Most would never result in an ROI for us due to higher capital and running costs,” he said. While at a NAFA Fleet Management
Association meeting, Clark heard about GreenDriver offered by Donlen, which the fleet management company was piloting as the green fleet program. Featuring three products — GreenDriver Online Driver Training, DriverPoint Telematics, and GPS Reporting — the program focuses on driver behavior. The GreenDriver four-module, online training program details CO2 emissions reduction and fuel economy management. Specifically, drivers learn how vehicle maintenance, trip pre-planning, and small changes in behavior can impact fuel consumption and CO2 output. After successfully completing a final exam section, drivers print their Certified GreenDriver certificate. DriverPoint Telematics provides a small, driver-installable device that measures and reports key driver behaviors, including rapid acceleration, hard stops, and speeding events. Monthly DriverPoint Scorecard reports benchmark individual drivers against fellow company drivers and the fleet against industry peers. Clark calculated the GreenDriver cost — roughly half of other systems he considered — could provide a reasonable ROI, and he began a six-month pilot with Donlen last October. The results were impressive, said Clark: a 5- to 10-percent gain in mpg, driven by a 70- to 90-percent reduction in negative driving events (acceleration, deceleration, speeding, and idle time).
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Technology to Impact
Behavior ABOUT WATERONE
A
quasi-municipal agency, WaterOne (www.waterone. org) provides water to a population of 400,000, serving residential and commercial customers throughout Johnson County, Kan. With 375 employees, the utility’s service area covers more than 270 square miles. Sustainability is one of WaterOne’s seven strategic corporate pillars. Fleet statistics: ● 100 medium-/heavy-duty vehicles. ● 100 light-duty vehicles, primarily pickups and SUVs. ● 100 off-road equipment units. ● Fleet function: water utility infrastructure operation and maintenance; meter reading/ monitoring, customer interface. ● Replacement cycle: 100,00 miles. ● Average annual vehicle mileage: less than 10,000.
“What was most remarkable was the reduction in aggressive driving offenses. From 10 hard brakes to just two; speeds over 70 mph were basically eliminated. An average idle time of 20 percent dropped to less than 5 percent, even in the winter time. All these results affected the fleet’s overall fuel economy,” Clark reported. Armed with data on the fleet’s less-aggressive — and therefore safer — driver records, WaterOne is negotiating with its insurance carrier for lower premiums, a further ROI improvement, Clark said. Driver response to the GreenDriver program has been favorable, Clark said. “We have had a lot of driver questions that we’ve been open to and provided thorough responses to help with driver buy-in, trust, and change management,” he said. “We explained what the black box [DriverPoint device] does and what it doesn’t do;
Stacy Clark, a 13-year fleet veteran, oversees a 300unit fleet for the water utility, WaterOne in Johnson County, Kan.
what is being tracked.” Drivers were reassured the devices were not a punitive measure. “We told them we wanted them to be successful. By taking that tone with employees, we were able to get all the devices installed and training done expeditiously,” Clark said. From the monthly Fleet Scorecard, Clark prepares an executive summary. Drivers and their managers get a courtesy e-mail with the data. The reports are designed to create dialogue and encouragement from manager to driver. Within driver groups, the monthly peer-topeer comparisons have spurred competition. One supervisor admitted his five-member team regularly compares their individual numbers, said Clark. “At one point, one of the team felt he had hit a wall, so I rode along with him to provide feedback. The employee wanted to do well,” he recalled.
Managers and supervisors recognize topperforming drivers with “WOW awards,” gift certificates, and general kudos, Clark said. He plans to acknowledge the top 5-10 percent of drivers annually. GreenDriver’s reporting function also benchmarks WaterOne data against utility industry peers. “We started the program with a 3.22 overall rating, on a 1-10 basis. In May, our rating was 5.12,” Clark reported. He credits the fleet’s progress to a strategy that includes tracking, coaching, and communicating about the benefits of eco-driving best practices not only for the drivers, but the entire company as well. Top management support has been crucial throughout the pilot project and implementation process, Clark observed. “The pilot was a way to take a look for a good fit for the way we operate our fleet. The data was quite compelling, and with that, management bought into the program.” Clark plans additional fleet sustainability efforts. Later this summer, he will implement an online vehicle pool system. Using the software tool Car Manager, WaterOne employees will reserve vehicles when needed “with the confidence a vehicle will be there,” said Clark. He anticipates reducing capital expenses by one half over the next two years by eliminating underutilized vehicles.
Green Practices are SOP for Flagger Force Flagger Force employees are most visibly seen among the yellow/orange cautionvested workers “flagging” roadway traffic through construction zones in several East Coast states. The company provides temJULY / AUGUST 2011 ■ GREEN FLEET
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DRIVER BEHAVIOR
porary traffic control and work zone safety services, as well as traffic-related trainABOUT FLAGGER FORCE ing and certification programs. ounded in 2002 and headquartered in Middletown, Penn., Flagger Force (www.flaggerforce.com) also operates in The company’s 350-vehicle fleet carries Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, and Virginia. The compaemployees and equipment to job sites and provides work crew protection. The fleet inny’s 750-member workforce includes a fully staffed dispatch cludes heavy-duty pickups and large SUVs, office and 400 front-line employees — trained and certified stake-bed trucks, and truck-mounted atflaggers and training instructors. tenuators (large vehicles specially equipped Fleet statistics: to protect work crews in high-speed traf● 350 vehicles, including Ford Rangers and F-150s, fic locations). GMC Sierras, Chevrolet Colorados and Suburbans, Rather than implementing a specialized stake-body trucks, and truck-mounted attenuators. green fleet program, Flagger Force “strives ● Fleet function: transport flaggers and work zone The 350-vehicle Flagger to incorporate green business practices disafety equipment to and from job sites and provide Force Fleet transports rectly into our standard operating procehigh-speed roadway protection for work crews. employees and equipdures,” according to Terri Reed, the compa● Replacement cycle: At five years, units are ment to job sites and provides work crew ny’s Harrisburg, Pa., branch manager. considered for replacement based on maintenance protection. Eco-driving best practices are presented needs, cost, and condition/mileage. during each all-company safety meeting. “We believe eco-driving gives us an zone situation, and if needed, coach the in for specific coaching about best driving advantage over competitors, both in cost employee responsible on proper practicpractices,” Reed said. savings by increasing our fuel efficiency es to minimize or eliminate idle time on The GPS Insight web-based program ofand reducing the wear and tear on our the job site.” fers an easily configured customizable dashvehicles,” said Mike Doner, Flagger Force board with a host of reports and alerts to fit With safety a corporate standard, Reed vice president. noted, vehicle speeding is a particular conindividual fleet needs. “Our drivers are monitored on several cern. “We monitor speeding alerts carefulTo influence driver behaviors, “the best levels using GPS Insight to ensure best drivly to maximize safety and minimize envitool for us is constant monitoring by our ing practices during every trip in our vehironmental impact.” GPS Insight program,” Doner said. cles. We track idling time, speed alerts, fuel Vehicle mpg is also tracked closely to pin“Knowing that the technology is autoefficiency, and vehicle maintenance, point inefficient driving patterns and matically tracking their driving habits has all of which contribute to ‘eco-drivhabits, and also “as an additional sign been a very effective tool for keeping our ing,’ ” Reed said. that vehicle maintenance may be redrivers in line with our policies. We train Alerts are sent via the GPS Inquired,” said Reed. Company vehicles our drivers in the classroom on best pracsight Tracking Solution any time a receive oil changes and other maintetices while on the road, but having the techtruck idles for more than an hour, nance checks every 5,000 miles. nology in the vehicle is almost like having Reed said. “We then evaluate the When a driving incident alert is a supervisor overseeing them behind the DONER reason for the idling and the work received, “we bring that employee wheel at all times,” he continued. Ultimately, said Doner, the GPS Insight program “protects our employees by ensuring they are safer drivers, and it protects the WHAT THE FLEET MANAGERS RECOMMEND efore selecting and implementing a telematics tool to promote eco-driving, earth by reducing the environmental imStacy Clark, fleet and building services manager for WaterOne, advises fleet pact of our fleet.”
F
B
managers to determine their organization’s commitment to sustainability. “Once committed, test/validate tools to ensure an ROI is present within your fleet and to include the dynamics and variables your customers present prior to making a significant investment,” he said. Mike Doner, Flagger Force vice president, suggests fleet managers implement an eco-driving program incrementally “to ensure its effectiveness, providing drivers a clear explanation of what is expected of them when behind the wheel of a company vehicle and how their actions contribute to the safety and environmental impact of the entire company.” “We also recommend that companies make eco-driving less of a trend and more an inherent part of their company practices. In our case, it’s good for our employees, and it’s good for our bottom line too,” Doner added.
8
Up to 30 percent of a vehicle’s fuel efficiency is impacted by driver behavior. Source: EPA
Every gallon of gasoline burned creates c 19.5 lbs. of CO2; every gallon of diesel fuel burned creates 22.1 lbs. of CO2. Source: EPA
GREEN FLEET ■ JULY / AUGUST 2011
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The Audi A3 TDI®
The Audi Q7 TDI®
As you well know, the decisions you make say everything about you and your company. Take Audi TDI clean diesel, for example. It says a lot of things (all positive, of course). Like how smart you are. Just look at the astonishing fuel-efficiency numbers for both the A3 TDI (42 mpg hwy) and Q7 TDI (25 mpg hwy)*. Not to mention the uncompromising power and torque both possess. And of course, maybe most important, it says how progressively minded you are. Both the A3 TDI and Q7 TDI deliver 20% fewer emissions than gasoline engines.** So as far as decisions go, this will make quite a statement. audiusa.com/tdi
Contact corporatesales@audi.com for more information.
*EPA estimates 42mpg hwy/ 30mpg city for the 2011 Audi A3 TDI clean diesel with automatic transmission, and 25mpg hwy/ 17mpg city for the 2011 Audi Q7 TDI clean diesel with automatic transmission. Your mileage will vary. **CO2 emissions claim based on comparison to gasoline engine. “Audi,” “Q7,” “A3,” “Truth in Engineering,” the Audi Singleframe grille design, and the four rings and Audi emblems are registered trademarks of AUDI AG. “TDI” is a registered trademark of Volkswagen AG. ©2011 Audi of America, Inc.
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How to Build a
Successful Green Fleet By Cindy Brauer
I
mplementing a green fleet initiative is no easy feat. According to three industry professionals, a successful plan to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions — with a respectable return on investment (ROI) — requires a long-term vision, incremental change, top management support, openness to all options, and flexibility to manage challenges.
Get Buy-In & Communicate Top management backing is critical to developing and executing a fuel-efficient and eco-responsible fleet. “In most cases, this is a top-to-bottom effort with some specific goals and targets,” said Phil Schreiber, North America fleet manager for Otis Elevator Company. “A culture must be developed to view and recognize the benefits of implementing a green fleet. The benefits must be tangible, not only feel-good benefits.” Donna Bibbo, manager of fleet and travel for Princeton, N.J.-based Novo Nordisk Inc., echoed the need for executive buy-in
AT A GLANCE To build a successful green fleet, fleet managers should: ● Get
buy-in from all management and staff levels and communicate information frequently.
● Anticipate
obstacles, including driver resistance.
● Incorporate
best practices, such as sustainable changes and creating long-term and objective goals.
10
and support. She added another essential component in green fleet planning — keeping the message alive. “Communication, communication, communication,” Bibbo said. “You need to keep this [issue] in the minds of the drivers constantly. They slip back into old habits really easily.” Jason Mathers, project manager for the Environment Defense Fund (EDF) Corporate Partnership program, recommended coordinating with other internal corporate groups. “It’s important the procurement and environmental strategy teams align,” Mathers explained. In initial EDF green fleet efforts, these two teams commonly met for the first time “when they were sitting down with us,” he recalled. As companies create more detailed environmental goals, those internal connections are made. “This is a problem mostly for companies just starting to create an environmental strategy that goes beyond compliance,” Mathers noted.
Anticipate Obstacles Even carefully developed plans can encounter obstacles when implemented, Bibbo noted. “Understand the challenges and be ready to either address them or accept that they will impede your progress,” she suggested. Driver resistance has been a significant obstacle for Novo Nordisk’s green fleet initiative. Seeking to accommodate work/life balance issues, the company vehicle selector offers large SUV/minivan choices, although
PHOTO: ©ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/ASOLO
Three fleet industry professionals share best practices and offer advice on how to avoid mistakes in developing and implementing green fleet initiatives.
at a higher personal use charge. “They say that they want to do the right thing, but they just can’t resist that larger SUV if it’s offered,” Bibbo said. The higher personal use fee initially reduced driver selections of more gasguzzling models, “but now, they just accept it as a way of life and pay the difference, so I need to come up with some new deterrents,” Bibbo said. Increased mileage reporting during times of higher fuel prices also hinders her green fleet efforts. “When the price of fuel goes up, so does the number of [reported] miles driven in the company car since the company is paying for the gas,” Bibbo said. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and manufacturer vehicle efficiency numbers present a challenge to selecting the most fuel-efficient model in each class. Often these figures do not match company drivers’ real-world fuel efficiency and are “in fact, highly overstated for some vehicles,” Bibbo found. Schreiber lamented the time lag between OEM technology introductions and their market availability. Additionally, he noted, ROI on some alternative-fuel conversions is very slow.
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Other challenges he’s found include greenfleet inhibiting government rules and regulations, and inadequate or nonexistent alternative-energy infrastructure.
Incorporate Best Practices Examine every available green fleet option “to see if it can be adapted to your situation,” Schreiber recommended. Determine any action’s costs/benefits and implement changes slowly and incrementally. “This is not a race; it is a journey,” he said. “There is never a final target.” Bibbo agreed to taking things slow. Sweeping change to a total hybrid fleet is most likely not sustainable. However, she pointed out, “changing from six- to four-cylinder engines or downsizing from a Ford Taurus to a Fusion might be [sustainable] and will provide excellent and reportable results.” Multinational companies should resist the temptation to create a single glob-
al CO2-reduction plan, Bibbo advised. “Each country has a different reference point, different challenges, and different vehicles available, so one goal won’t be attainable for all if the goal is too stringent or too low or too lenient.” In Novo Nordisk’s global green initiative, individual countries operating fleets set CO2 reduction goals and report on them, Bibbo said. Avoid setting reduction goals in absolute numbers (e.g., reduce CO2 emissions by a million metric tons), Bibbo also recommended. “If you are a growing company, this could impede your growth,” she said. “My fleet grew by approximately 465 vehicles in late 2010/ early 2011 due to a hiring expansion. If I had an absolute reduction goal, I would not be able to meet it. However, since my goal is based on average fuel economy and average emissions per vehicle, I still can meet my target.” The best green fleet initiative goals are long-term and objective goals, such as fuel consumption or greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions reductions, Mathers said. “Companies run the risk of limiting their ultimate progress and cost-effectiveness by creating goals that rely on a specific technology or strategy. For example, fuel economy, alternative fuels, and hybrids or electric vehicles (EVs) are all ways to reduce emissions. However, companies that focus only on one [strategy] can be missing other ‘low-hanging’ fruit opportunities,” he noted. Mathers also recommended calling on additional resources in creating and executing green initiatives. “Staying on top of fuel and emissions-reduction best practices is a lot of work. With all the other time demands on fleet managers, it’s difficult to be an expert in this space too,” he said. Fleet management companies and other value-added suppliers offer “excellent” advice and help for greening fleets. “Doing it all yourself might be appealing from a short-term cost perspective,” Mathers said. “However, you could miss significant opportunities for improvement that suppliers can identify.”
ABOUT THESE FLEET PROFESSIONALS
D
onna Bibbo manages Novo Nordisk’s U.S. and Canada fleet, numbering some 3,100 units, primarily sales vehicles. The regular fleet selector, exclusively four-cylinder models, includes sedans, wagons, and mid-size SUVs. The 21-year industry veteran implemented a U.S. green fleet initiative in 2007 and its goals are BIBBO now reflected in the company’s new global green efforts. The U.S. five-year goal targets a 0.5-1 mpg increase in average vehicle fuel economy each year, producing a 5-percent annual decrease in average per-vehicle CO2 emissions. To achieve these goals, Bibbo continuously re-evaluates the fleet selector, provides eco-driving training and driver incentives for eco-smart driving or fuel-efficient vehicle choices, and partners with suppliers. Specific actions developed for each strategy are updated over time, Bibbo explained. Phil Schreiber has built an incrementally deployed green initiative based on corporate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions-reduction targets. Based in the Otis Elevator Service Center in Bloomfield, Conn., Schreiber, a 24-year industry veteran, manages a 3,500-vehicle fleet of primarily vans and light-duty trucks, plus cars and cab chassis up to 26,000 lbs. GVW. According to Schreiber, Otis green fleet actions include: ● Vehicle rightsizing. Over the past three years about 50 percent of all Otis fleet vehicle replacements have been reduced in size.
Cargo/equipment evaluation. A field supervisor team reviews equipment and supplies carried in vehicles. Loads have been lightened by as much as 200-300 lbs. ● Speed restriction. When appropriate, speed governors are installed in vehicles. ● Advanced engine technology. When justified by fuel savings, new engine and propul- SCHREIBER sion systems, such as Ford’s Eco-Boost, are selected within the vehicle template. ● Alternative fuels review. Use of propane, CNG, and other alternative-fuel is routinely considered when ROI on conversion costs justify the switch. Jason Mathers leads Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) efforts in promoting greenhouse gas (GHG) management in corporate fleets. A national nonprofit organization of 700,000 members, the EDF (www.edf.org) links science, economics, and law to create solutions to critical enviMATHERS ronment problems. Mathers works directly with some of the nation’s largest passenger vehicle, medium-duty, and long-haul fleets, as well as fleet management companies and fleet trade associations. He has developed industry resources, including a fleet GHG calculator, a suite of training materials on fuel-smart driving behaviors, and a survey of environmental practices of leading fleets. ●
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Retrofitting a unit’s powertrain to accommodate alternative fuel allows fleet managers to take existing units from traditional gas guzzlers to alt-fuel efficiency and extend vehicle life.
Retrofitting Your Way to an Alt-Fuel Vehicle
Offering lower per-gallon fuel costs and clear environmental benefits, alt-fuel fleet units are the wave of the future. Using retrofitting as a viable solution, fleets don’t have to invest in new assets and can make the most of their existing fleet units. By Shelley Mika
I
nvesting in new fleet units is a big budget line item that can make fleet managers — and those who approve their budgets — cringe. So when it comes to investing in alt-fuel vehicles, it can be tough to make the case for purchasing new units, particularly if the fleet is already in good working order.
AT A GLANCE Retrofitting offers fleets several benefits, including: ● Lower
greenhouse gas emissions.
● Reduced
operating costs.
● Extended
vehicle and equipment life.
● Reduced
spending for new vehicles and equipment.
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Thankfully, there’s a middle ground: retrofitting. Retrofitting a unit’s powertrain to accommodate alternative fuel allows fleet managers to take existing units from traditional gas guzzlers to alt-fuel efficiency. But is retrofitting right for your fleet? Knowing the options available, and the pros and cons of making the switch, can help fleet managers invest wisely as they work toward greener futures.
Choose Your Fuel The first choice in a fleet manager’s path toward a retrofitted alternative-fuel fleet is choosing which alt fuel to use. Common choices include plug-in hybrids, propane, and compressed natural gas (CNG). Ultimately, the choice depends on a few key considerations:
Access to alt fuels. Infrastructure required to support an alternative-fuel vehicle. ● Costs associated with retrofitting, then fueling the unit. While propane and CNG will require access to sites that carry those fuels, plugin hybrids offer a more turnkey solution. Of course, choosing the most appropriate fuel source ultimately depends on the type of vehicle and what it’s used for. “ALTe’s plug-in hybrids can be recharged with something as basic as a normal 110 [volt] outlet, and the engines only require normal unleaded gasoline. In addition, the packaging of our lithium-ion battery packs is such that there is not a reduction in cargo carrying capacity for any of the pickups or vans that we retrofit,” said Dennis Bara● ●
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ALTe’s plug-in hybrids can be recharged with a standard 110v outlet and the engines can run on regular unleaded gasoline. In addition, the company said there is no reduction in cargo carrying capacity for any of the retrofitted pickups or vans.
nik, vice president, marketing and sales, ALTe Powertrain Technologies. “We believe that the plug-in electric series hybrid powertrain retrofit offered by ALTe Powertrain Technologies provides the fastest financial payback compared with any of these options.”
place that particular vehicle reflects the high mileage and wear and tear that has been placed on that powertrain while the rest of the vehicle may be in relatively good shape,” Baranik said. “A retrofit option can extend the life of that vehicle while BARANIK providing a brand-new powertrain with a competitive warranty while signifWeighing Costs Against icantly increasing fuel efficiency.” Benefits While the benefits are clear, there Like any major change in a fleet, retmay be some instances where a retrofit rofitting poses both advantages and disisn’t the right fit. For instance, vehicles advantages. that require heavy off-road capabilities One clear benefit of retrofitting for alt or units in poor overall condition might fuel is the significant reduction in greennot be prime candidates. house gas emissions. In addition to the posAnd, of course, there are infrastrucitive environmental benefits, turning to alt ture considerations as well. Where will fuel also makes headway on the country’s units fill up? How far is the nearest stadependence on foreign oil. tion that offers alt fuel? How many are Specifically for a fleet, alternative fuin your area, or along key fleet routes? els can improve the bottom line by reducWould your company have to invest in ing operating costs based on a total cost of on-site fueling? The answers to these ownership (TCO) analysis. For instance, a questions can help fleet managers get vehicle with a pristine exterior that might closer to the true costs of running an typically be replaced due to high mileage alt-fuel fleet. and a worn-out powertrain could have a second chance — and perform more effiThe Deciding Factor As fleet managers compare an alternativeciently in its second lifecycle. “For many fleet units, a decision to refuel retrofit to purchasing a new vehicle 14
or extending the life of that particular unit, TCO will be the key consideration on which a decision hinges. At the same time, a company should also consider its “green” image and sustainability efforts, as well as any government mandates that must be followed (particularly for government fleets). “At a minimum, every fleet manager should at least be considering an alternative-fuel retrofit in their ongoing analysis. It only makes sense that a fullsize pickup/van that has 200-percent better fuel efficiency while maintaining extended range capability should be a viable option,” Baranik said. “At the end of the day, if your TCO analysis supports an alternative-fuel retrofit option, then go for it!” While more and more alt-fuel vehicles appear on the market, retrofitting is also gaining popularity. “Nearly all of the largest delivery fleets as well as the leading utility companies have been very progressive in determining how alternative-fuel retrofits can fit into their operating models,” Baranik said. “ALTe believes that retrofit volumes for fleets will reach the tens of thousands of units annually within the next couple of years.”
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Frito-Lay & Smith Electrify Medium -Duty Trucks
As the seventh largest private fleet in the U.S., operating approximately 22,000 vehicles, Frito-Lay is incorporating medium-duty electric box trucks into its operations. By Lauren Fletcher
T
he “Promise of PepsiCo” is the sustainability vision and strategy used by PepsiCo and Frito-Lay. One of the strategy’s key planks is fleet operations and the goal to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) impact and fossil fuel usage. “We’ve set some aggressive internal goals of a 50-percent reduction by 2020, so we study the people, processes, and technology in the industry to optimize and reach those goals,” said Mike O’Connell, senior director of fleet for Frito-Lay. “We studied the technology arena, and electric vehicles or alternative fuel is something we looked at.” Frito-Lay operates the seventh largest private fleet in the U.S., consisting of approximately 17,000 delivery vehicles. Around 1,000 tractor-trailers are used over the road. The total truck count for trailers and trucks is approximately 22,000 vehicles. The fleet runs mostly on diesel, and on the electric side will operate 176 medium-duty electric box trucks purchased from Smith Electric Vehicles by mid-year.
Working with Smith Electric All of Frito-Lay’s medium-duty elec-
AT A GLANCE Benefits Frito-Lay is achieving through use of Smith Electric box trucks include: ● Reduced
maintenance and repair expenses.
● Increased ● Positive
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driver morale.
public interest.
tric box trucks are Smith Electric Vehicles (SEV), built on the same chassis. According to O’Connell, a few different vehicle designs are used in New York and other locations, but the changes are mainly on the box of the truck, while the chassis remains the same. Frito-Lay has been working with SEV for a few years, starting from vehicle inception. “When Brian Hansel and the team at Smith decided to come to the U.S. and bring the product here, we were first in line to meet with them and we partnered with them,” O’Connell said. “We looked at several different alternate solutions. We’re utilizing natural gas for our tractors, aerodynamic fairings, and a whole host of other projects that help us improve fuel economy. Electric vehicles just happen to be one of the bigger initiatives we’re taking on.”
Understanding All-New Challenges Incorporating the electric vehicle into the Frito-Lay fleet didn’t present too many new challenges versus a typical new-vehicle introduction; however, it had a few unique differences. “When we introduce a new vehicle into our fleet, there are usually many kinds of challenges,” O’Connell explained. “These include driver and mechanic training, fueling, procedures and policies, etc. It’s different from the standpoint that it’s electric. When you talk about fueling, you’re talking about
plugging in, not going to a pump.” O’Connell noted that at first, people believe an electric vehicle denotes a big difference. “It definitely is, but it’s not a lot different from a normal procedure or policy we would do for any new vehicle we introduce,” he said. “We teach drivers how to plug it in and what to watch out for.” Frito-Lay also runs its drivers through the control panel on the vehicle, ensuring drivers know how to locate all gauges, light switches, etc. “We teach drivers the differences associated with the cab of the vehicle, how to drive it, and how to ensure they know how to deal with all the circumstances. From that aspect, it hasn’t been a lot different than introducing a new vehicle into the fleet,” O’Connell said. The biggest specific challenge is setting up the charging infrastructure. “You don’t go to a fuel island or a gas station down the road and fuel. You would actually plug in at our distribution center, which would be kind of like putting fuel at the distribution center. That’s a little bit different for us. It is leading-edge technology, so we’re learning a lot about that in partnership with Smith, but frankly it’s working extremely well and our drivers love it,” he said.
Using the New Smith Electric Trucks The Smith Electric vehicles have an 80 kilowatt pack, enabling travel up to 100 miles. Frito-Lay is currently targeting routes in the 65-70 mile range.
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Frito-Lay will be operating 176 medium-duty electric box trucks purchased from Smith Electric Vehicles by mid-year.
“We have a computer tool that routes our Frito-Lay is currently working on a stratvehicles, so we do the most efficient route egy for recycling the used batteries, to take first. The truck will leave our distribution and put them into some of its distribution center and go to five or six stops. The salessites. These are plant locations where the person goes into the store and sells our prodcompany can store cleaned energy being ucts and merchandise, then comes back to generated that can’t be used by the plant the depot and distribution center. It’s pretty in the batteries for use at night or other consistent,” O’Connell explained. times, for example during the day during When the truck returns to the distribution peak demand. center, it gets plugged in and takes usually “We’re very excited about that plan. In between 6-8 hours to charge, depending on talking to the battery industry, there are how much energy was used that day. some solutions, especially the lithium-ion “It works extremely well. Most of the technology. Frankly, I think there’s going time, we’re plugging vehicles in during the to be a great secondary market as electric late afternoon when they return, and charge vehicles and hybrids continue to grow in throughout the evening hours using offthe automotive and fleet industry. There peak energy, which is more efficient,” said will be a great secondary market for batO’Connell. “We’ve accomplished several tery stores,” he said. initiatives utilizing solar, wind powO’Connell believes there is goer, and other alternatives. We asked ing to be a tremendous secondary ourselves, ‘Where can we put these vemarket that will help offset the cost hicles where we actually charge them of electric vehicles. off our solar fields or one of our other “Today, the motor of the electric initiatives from a green energy standvehicle will last forever. In a traditional point associated with the plant and combustion engine, when you get to O’CONNELL facilities we’re working with?’ ” an older vehicle, you sometimes blow The vehicle’s lifecycle is modeled against the engine for various reasons. That will be the company’s current lifecycle. The snack like these batteries. We may lose a few batfood distributor keeps its vehicles over a teries earlier than we expected, but we lose 10-14 year period. engines today earlier than we expected and “We expect to keep these vehicles in that we deal with that,” O’Connell said. same time frame. The battery has a five-, seven-, or 10-year range, depending. We holisRealizing Benefits of tically believe we’ll have a secondary life for Electric Trucks the used battery, and frankly, may want to In addition to the emissions reductions come back in five years and change out the and fuel savings, vehicle repair and mainbattery because the cost will be cheaper, the tenance are also significantly reduced, acenergy density will be higher, and it will be cording to O’Connell. a better solution,” said O’Connell. “There is a lot less fluid, and these units
don’t have oil like an engine does where you have to change the oil every five or 10,000 miles,” O’Connell noted. “You eliminate a waste drain. You eliminate the need for the oil. There are a few fluids, but it doesn’t have the same oil and coolant, etc., as a traditional combustion engine. We believe the repair and maintenance will be dramatically reduced.” Regenerative braking, which was part of the solution for electric vehicles, also increases brake life by four times compared with traditional brakes, according to Frito-Lay, again saving on maintenance expenses. “On the soft side, we’re seeing increased creature comfort. It’s a work environment, right? The salesperson is either in the store or in the truck. It’s quiet and it doesn’t vibrate. They really enjoy the design and comfort of the vehicle and ride,” O’Connell commented. “Medium-duty trucks are loud. They vibrate quite a bit when riding down the road. The drivers comment all the time on how much less fatigued they are, how much more enjoyable it is driving down the road in a quiet vehicle, etc. So that’s been a very big upside for us as an organization. The awareness of the vehicle to consumers and our customers out there has been a big win as well.” The biggest challenge Frito-Lay has faced, according to O’Connell, is the people surrounding this initiative. Drivers are asking “When am I getting my truck?” or, “How do we get more of them?” The salespeople who drive these vehicles get approached by customers in the field due to the different exterior design. “There is a Smith badge on the front, and many consumers have never heard of Smith,” O’Connell noted. “They walk up and ask, and our salespeople are very proud of being able to share our company story behind our sustainability strategy and then more importantly, why they’re driving that truck and making a difference.” O’Connell noted a few sales personnel in New York comment that they went home and shared with their kids that they’re one of the first ever to drive the new Frito-Lay electric vehicles. “This next generation is very attune to all that. The schools and teachings, they’re very proud of that work and it’s been very neat to hear those stories. We hear more and more of them every day,” he said. JULY / AUGUST 2011 ■ GREEN FLEET
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Real-World
Hybrid Fleet Operating Expenses Several high-profile fleets utilizing hybrid vehicles are speaking up about the results. By Stephen Bennett
P
inching pennies is a point of professional pride in fleet management, and so a critical question about hybrid vehicles is: How do they rate when it comes to realworld operating expenses? Now that some fleets have two, three, or more years’ experience with hybrid vehicles, they are able to make some judgments.
said in honoring Polito. The EMD Millipore fleet of approximately 330 vehicles consists predominantly of Toyota models, of which more than 100 (or nearly one third) are hybrids, including Prius and Camry models. The first hybrids were put into service in mid-2008 — about three years ago. Polito said the hybrids have been averaging 36 mpg, compared to EMD Millipore Sees an average of 30 mpg for the fleet’s convenIncreased MPGs tional vehicles. “The capital costs [of hybrids] are more, An exacting maintenance program helps but you offset that with the fuel reduction,” further offset the higher initial outlay for hysaid Gary Polito, category sourcing managbrid vehicles, according to Polito. “We have er, travel and fleet, for EMD Millipore, based a rigorous maintenance schedule. We stay in Billerica, Mass. Polito was recognized this on top of that through our leasing compayear by the NAFA Fleet Management Assony,” he said. About its leasing company, ARI, ciation for reducing fuel consumption and he said, “They’re very good at monitoring,” emissions through a combination of providing informative reports on the “right-sizing” vehicles according to status of vehicles. job responsibilities and use of hybrid The hybrids, just as any other vehicle, vehicles. On an annual basis, those are evaluated constantly, according efforts reduced the volume of fuel to Polito, and at the same time he purchases by nearly 150,000 gallons is continuously on the lookout for and prevented the emission of more other options. As engine technology than 2.8 million lbs. of CO2, NAFA improves on conventional gasolinePOLITO powered vehicles, some are becoming AT A GLANCE competitive with hybrids, he said. He also addressed the “stigma” of going Fleets have been researching hybrid fleet from a conventional vehicle with a sixvehicles for years, and a few are happily seeing results, including: cylinder engine to a hybrid with a fourcylinder engine. In the same vein, some ● Reduced CO2 emissions. fleets might have been running vehicles with ● Increased vehicle mpg. a 3.5L, four-cylinder, gasoline-fueled engine ● Reduced maintenance issues. and switched to a hybrid with a smaller 20
EMD Millipore evaluates its hybrid vehicles constantly. The vehicles are noteworthy for very low maintenance costs, according to Gary Polito, category sourcing manager, travel & fleet.
four-cylinder engine, Polito hypothesized, yet he said they can still come out ahead: “Now that lower-end liter engine could be just as powerful and more fuel efficient than a similar four-cylinder model [by] another manufacturer. So we’re constantly evaluating.” By scrupulously following the maintenance schedule, and monitoring the vehicles, the fleet is able to realize favorable residual values. It helps that the market for used vehicles has come around, he said. “We’ve had them now for three years,” Polito said, “and the residual value has turned out to be very high. It’s the quality of the vehicle.” The hybrids are noteworthy for “very low maintenance costs,” he noted. Among doubters, the component that is often singled out for skepticism is the battery, which is an expensive part. Polito noted, “We haven’t had one maintenance issue with a battery.” Maintenance of the hybrids generally is no different than for conventional vehicles. “There really hasn’t been anything where you could say, ‘Because this is a hybrid it’s causing this problem and my maintenance costs are increasing,’ ” he said. “There hasn’t been anything like that.”
State Farm Goes ‘Green’ Through Hybrid Use State Farm has a fleet of approximately 13,000 vehicles, of which 610 are hybrids. Asked whether he noticed any difference about the hybrids compared to conventional vehicles, Fleet Administrator Dick Malcom, said, “Nothing. It’s one of those things where no news is good news.” Driving a hybrid vehicle, Malcom re-
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Johnson Controls is in the process of putting 20 light-duty, Ford Transit Connect electric models into service. Azure Dynamics installs its electric power drive on the vehicles, which also feature a lithium-ion battery from Johnson Controls.
ported, one learns that they are not the resale value,” he added. said. “For Johnson Controls, that equates to much different from a regular vehicle. Hybrid vehicle technology is geteliminating more than 1,000 metric tons of That said, Malcom pointed out the ting better all the time, according to CO2. That’s about an 8-percent footprint rebest place for the hybrid vehicles to Malcom. His hope is that the price duction for the business unit.” be used is in metropolitan areas, beof hybrid power systems will beThe company modifies the hybrids, taking cause that’s where stop-and-go trafcome closer to that of regular comout the rear seats and putting in a floor. fic is prevalent, which causes the vebustion engines. State Farm will like“The technicians who drive them don’t MALCOM hicle to operate on the battery power ly increase the number of hybrids in carry a lot of tools and equipment, and what that can provide fuel savings. However, hyits fleet, slowly, he said. they do carry is lighter weight,” Coyte said, brids in rural areas tend to consume about “It is an education,” he said. “There are “so they don’t need [a vehicle with] the carthe same amount of gasoline as conventionstill a lot of people in the U.S. that haven’t go and the payload capacity that our other al vehicles because they don’t have as much driven a hybrid — probably many of them, service mechanics do.” opportunity to use battery power. still, that fear driving a hybrid. We in the Coyte said there have been no reportMost vehicles in the State Farm fleet, whethindustry take [hybrids] for granted, but I ed problems with the hybrids and “drivers er hybrid or not, are used by claims people, don’t think that’s the case across the counare happy with them.” She did express one Malcom said. The company purchased its reservation, but said it had more to do with try, with the general public.” first hybrid, a Prius, in 2001 and its second Malcom said some insurance companies how the vehicles are assigned. hybrid — another Prius — in 2004. It has provide a discount for hybrids. “The fact of “I don’t think we’re quite getting the fuel acquired the rest gradually since then. The the matter is, it’s more expensive to repair a efficiencies that we wanted,” she said, “but lineup of State Farm’s hybrid vehicles inhybrid. So we don’t provide discounts, but that’s only because we aren’t excluding any cludes Toyota Camry (333); Toyota Prius drivers from using them.” Translation: “If we don’t charge extra.” (138); Ford Fusion (123); Ford Escape (6); they’re out on the highway more than in the Johnson Controls Greens city we aren’t getting the fuel efficiency that and, in Canada, Honda Civic (10). State Farm manages the vehicles itself, its SUVs we were hoping for.” monitoring usage and notifying employJohnson Controls, based in Plymouth, Since the first hybrids were not put into ees when the vehicles are due for mainteMich., put approximately 10 Ford Escape service until the end of 2008, and most nance. State Farm has arrangements with Hybrids into service in 2008, and now has came in later, Coyte said, “We don’t have a maintenance and repair facilities where the 366 in fleet, said Christy Coyte, corporate lot of good fuel data yet to establish a baseemployees can take the vehicles. global fleet manager. line. We hope to get that as time goes on Using hybrids “helps us become more Johnson Controls’ fleet consists of 7,000 and we put more hybrids into service.” The green — always a good thing,” Malcom vehicles, divided into various sub fleets for company leases its vehicles for six years or said. It also provides an opportunity for discrete business units. The hybrids are all 150,000 miles. more people to become familiar with hyassigned to a sub fleet of 1,100 vehiJohnson Controls also is in the probrid vehicles and discover that driving them cles, to be converted entirely to hycess of putting into service 20 electric is much the same as driving a conventional brids or other alternative-fuel vehivehicles, the light-duty Ford Transit vehicle, he said. cles, Coyte said, a process expected Connect Electric, Coyte said. Azure Hybrids do cost more, Malcom noted, but Dynamics, Oak Park, Mich., installs to take another four years. when gasoline prices are high, as now, hybrids “The hybrid vehicle is projected its electric power drive on the vehicles, are worth more, and the return on investment to have a 30-percent fuel and greenwhich also feature a lithium-ion batis better. “And when gas is $4 a gallon it helps house gas reduction per mile,” Coyte tery from Johnson Controls. COYTE JULY / AUGUST 2011 ■ GREEN FLEET
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Transit Fleets Come Clean with Alternative-Fuel Technology The maturation of alternative fuels has made it easier for transit agencies to implement programs than it was for early adopters in the 1990s. Still, there are many lessons to learn from the early pioneers. By Alex Roman
T
ransit agencies around the nation are moving more toward alternative fuels as a way to be environmentally friendly to the communities they serve, as well as reap possible cost-saving benefits. However, agencies gravitating toward alternative fuels are nothing new, with some finding themselves out in front on the so-called “bleeding edge” of many of these fuels since the early 1990s. Those early-adopting agencies will say now, though, that alternative fuels have finally matured, making investment in the technologies less challenging. Various transit agencies currently using alternative fuels in their bus fleets — ranging from natural gas to hydrogen to hybrids — discuss their programs and experiences when making the green-friendly leap away from traditional diesel fuel.
AT A GLANCE Several transit agencies have moved toward alt-fuels, including: ● Los Angeles
Metro phased out its last diesel buses in January.
● Fort Worth, Texas, fuels
its buses with
local natural gas. ● Connecticut Transit’s
five fuel-cell buses emit only water vapor.
● Santa
Monica, Calif.’s natural gas fueling infrastructure allows for revenue generation.
● Southern
Nevada’s alt-fuel buses of various types have not encountered major glitches.
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Fort Worth, Texas’ “The T” phased out its older buses with natural gas, retiring the last diesel bus in 2000.
LA Metro Greens Most of Fleet with CNG The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), operates a fleet of 2,228 buses that run on compressed natural gas (CNG), electric, and gasoline-electric. In January, Metro retired the last of its diesel buses and became the “first major transit agency in the world to operate only alternative clean-fueled buses,” the majority of which are CNG, according to the agency. “The local community, environmental groups, and labor groups were all very pleased with it. To me, it was pretty strange. When I was a bus operator, we ran all diesels, so it’s kind of odd not to have any of them now,” said Metro CEO Art Leahy. “Using alternative fuels is good for the environment, but it also helps wean America from dependence on foreign fuel.” With smog in the Los Angeles basin a huge issue and the agency growing more aware of its obligation to not contribute
more air pollution in the areas it serves, Metro began focusing on cleaning up its bus fleet in the 1980s. The agency began using methanol buses in the early ’90s, which in the long run proved to be too corrosive for bus engines. After also experimenting with ethanol and propane, Metro eventually decided to go with CNG. “When we decided to move toward alternative fuels, we were ahead of both the EPA and CARB (California Air Resources Board). Diesel buses had cleaned up significantly, but the Board was willing to stay on this path because they wanted to clean up the air,” Leahy said. “Having made this conversion over the past 15 to 20 years, we have now reduced greenhouse gas emissions by around 300,000 lbs. per day.” Also, when getting rid of its diesels, Leahy said Metro permanently disabled the engines so nobody could buy the buses and continue to use them to pollute the area. Leahy, who credits the Federal Transit
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LA Metro began focusing on cleaning up its bus fleet in the 1980s and now operates an entirely alternative-fuel fleet.
Administration (FTA) for making Metro’s clean-air bus fleet possible with CNG credits and other support, added that the buses have performed very well without any degradation in performance compared to diesel buses. He also said that while the cost for the buses is more expensive, Metro pays less for fuel and is proud of its contribution toward Los Angeles’ cleaner air. The road to Metro’s success wasn’t easy, however, since at the beginning of its program, CNG use was in its early stages. “I was chief operating officer at the time we began using CNG, and we were really worried how on earth we were going to fuel 2,000 buses and still make it on time for rollout. Today, the worries have all become moot,” Leahy said. “It’s important to know this conversion occurred over a long period of time. The first five or six years were the most difficult.” Metro’s clean-air bus fleet is just one aspect of its green program, which also includes widespread use of solar panels at bus maintenance facilities and other energy-saving devices to cut energy costs; recycling; and building and retrofitting new transit facilities with sustainable materials and practices. Leahy advised any agency looking into making the switch to alternative fuels, CNG in particular, to reach out to an agency such as Metro and pay a visit to learn from its experiences. “Learn from others,” he said. “You don’t have to be on the bleeding edge because we’ve done the work for you.”
Fort Worth Overcomes Learning Curve Like Metro, Fort Worth Transportation Authority’s (The T) move toward alternative fuels began in the ’80s, when the Texas State Legislature and Department of Transportation started encouraging local transit systems to look at alternative fuels, including natural gas. “The T began looking into alternative fuels with sort of an understanding that we have a lot of natural gas here in Texas,” said The T’s President/Executive Director Dick Ruddell. “Eventually, we decided natural gas would be the best move for us and ordered our first CNG bus in 1991.” The T’s move toward CNG took a natural progression, with the authority gradually replacing older buses reaching retirement age. The whole process took most of the ’90s, with the agency retiring its last diesel bus around 2000. The agency now operates 180 buses on CNG. “[With] every purchase, it seemed the technology just got better and better,” Ruddell said. “By the time we reached the 2000s, the technology really came of age.” Like Leahy, Ruddell explained that The T’s learning curve in the beginning was huge, since the range of CNG-powered buses was very short at the time and there were still issues with how to set up fueling compressors. “Those two issues probably are the reason why a lot of systems back in the ’90s tried natural gas, then gave up on it,” he said.
Now, after figuring out the learning curve, The T has an advanced and well-developed compressor station with four compressors operating at all times and an extra available in case one is down for maintenance. With the technology maturing, CNG buses have a comparable range to their diesel predecessors, Ruddell explained. He also added that getting his maintenance staff up to speed through training provides a knowledgeable source that is always on hand should issues arise. Besides lowering its environmental footprint due to the lower emissions, Ruddell said the Authority has experienced some additional benefits through the use of CNG. “The maintenance department reports that oil change and engine servicing intervals have been extended by 80 percent. And, when we do overhaul these engines, they are cleaner inside than they would be if we were still operating diesels because CNG is a cleaner-burning fuel,” he said. “Things like this are kind of internal and kind of in the weeds out there, but they are certainly advantages to operating a CNG fleet.” While the authority is committed to CNG down the road and has made infrastructure investments such as the fueling stations, Ruddell said The T is not so committed that it won’t look at other alternative fuels. “I think other and better fuels will come along, so we very much are interested in new alternative fuels as they are developed and tried,” he said. For agencies interested in exploring alJULY / AUGUST 2011 ■ GREEN FLEET
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TRANSIT FLEETS
ternative fuels such as CNG, Ruddell advised that they go out to visit authorities such as The T so that they understand how the fuels work, the benefits, and the financial investment it takes to build the infrastructure to support usage. For those looking into natural gas, he also encouraged joining the Transit Natural Gas Coalition, where those interested can learn more from both users and suppliers.
Connecticut Transit Hydrogen Buses Become Community Stars Connecticut Transit (CTTransit) in Hartford first started researching the use of alternative fuels in the early 1990s as a way to help promote good vehicle emissions in the communities where the agency operates. In 2001, CTTransit contracted with the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering to do an analysis of different bus technologies to discover what would work best for its applications. This led to the use of several different alternatives, including biodiesel — the agency currently uses a 5-percent mix — ultra low sulfur diesel, and diesel particulate filters (DPF). “We were also one of the first in the country to get hybrid buses in 2003 as part of what was called the ‘Allison Preview Program,’ ” explained Stephen Warren, assistant GM, maintenance services, at CTTransit. “We are now expanding our hybrid program by placing 14 New Flyer Excelsior 40-foot hybrids into service and taking delivery of 10 new Nova Artic 60foot hybrids this summer.” Perhaps CTTransit’s biggest alternativefuel initiative, though, began in 2007, with the operation a 40-foot Van Hool equipped with a UTC Power hydrogen fuel cell. Since then, the agency has added four more hydrogen buses and plans to add a sixth in the next year or so. It currently operates 408 buses running on B-5 biodiesel, hydrogen, and diesel-electric hybrid engines. Fuel-cell buses run on hydrogen and produce no harmful tailpipe emissions, emitting only water vapor. The new buses, part of the FTA’s national Fuel Cell Bus Program, establish Hartford as a leader in adopting fuel-cell technology to power transit buses. Only Greater Oakland/San 24
Connecticut Transit (CTTransit) acquired four of five hydrogen buses with federal grants.
Big Blue Bus’ switch to alternative fuels began with Santa Monica’s sustainable cities program.
Francisco has a larger fuel-cell bus fleet in the U.S., according to the agency. “Because of the federal grants, none of these last four buses cost us anything,” Warren said. “Our contribution has been the labor that we put into them and the modifications that we’ve had to make to our infrastructure.” Key changes to the newer hydrogenpowered buses include a more advanced lithium-ion battery system and a more durable fuel-cell power plant. The new model 40-foot Van Hool transit buses are also lighter than the earlier generation fuel-cell bus, which continues to operate on various routes in Greater Hartford. Newer lithium-ion batteries have improved bus reliability, Warren said. CTTransit had to make several modifications to its existing garage to store the hydrogen vehicles, such as moving duct work so a small amount of air was always blowing on the buses and installing hydrogen detectors. The hydrogen fuel-cell buses are switched to an all-electric mode when inside the garage, significantly lowering the possibility of hydrogen leaks. The agency is currently building a new garage to store its fuel-cell buses. It also plans to install a hydrogen fueling station on-site that will use a green electrolyzing process, with some of its buses continuing to refuel at a hydrogen station at UTC Power’s headquarters in South Windsor, Conn. After surveying both its drivers and customers, CTTransit found that drivers love the acceleration of the bus and passengers enjoyed the quiet, smooth, and vibration-
free ride. Both, however, rated the buses’ lack of emissions and environmental impact or, lack thereof, as the aspects they liked best. The buses have also become stars in the community. “The buses are unbelievably popular and must have been on TV a couple hundred times at this point,” Warren said. “Also, whenever there’s a major event, the organizers want a hydrogen fuel-cell bus to be there.” Since most of the alternative fuels on the market have been well tested, Warren added that having a dedicated project manager who understands there will be ups and downs is very important when instituting a program at an agency.
Santa Monica Adopts Natural Gas as Part of City Sustainability Initiative The City of Santa Monica (Calif.) Big Blue Bus’ move toward alternative fuels came as part of the City Council’s adoption of a sustainable cities program that identified 10 different areas of focus, including public transportation. The program was so ahead of its time that the United Nations is now using it as a model for other cities around the world. “Really, the City’s direction to move toward alternative fuels actually drove our decision even before the State mandated that we choose either clean diesel or an alternative-fuel path,” explained Stephanie Negriff, Big Blue’s director of transit services. In 2002, Big Blue started its alternativefuel program with liquefied natural gas (LNG) buses from North American Bus Industries (NABI). Before that, though, the agency had to install a fueling station on-site, which it started work on the previous year. “We had to build the entire infrastructure for natural gas, so that was about a $15 million investment,” Negriff explained. “Now, we have a state-of-the-art fueling sta-
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tion, which also allows us the opportunity to generate additional revenue by fueling other public fleets, and we’re actually working on an upgrade that would allow us to fuel natural gas automobiles.” Ralph Merced, Big Blue’s maintenance manager, added that the fueling station was also constructed in a manner that it could dispense both LNG and CNG. The agency is currently phasing out its diesel vehicles and replacing them with alternative-fuel vehicles, expected to be about 75 percent complete by the end of this calendar year. To help Big Blue reach the 75-percent goal, it awarded a multi-year contract to NABI and issued a Notice to Proceed (NTP) for the purchase of nine 40-foot low-floor CNG buses, with options to purchase an additional 58 buses over a five-year contract period, in July 2010. In September 2010, it exercised an option and issued an NTP with NABI for five 60-BRT CNG articulated vehicles in addition to the 11 previously on order. All 16 BRT vehicles were scheduled to be delivered by mid-2011. “If we exercise all the options we have with NABI, we should be running an all-alternativefuel fleet by 2014,” Negriff said. Negriff added that the City’s move toward alternative fuels sends a strong message to the community that it values sustainability. “We have a lot of loyal transit users, but to really advance use of public transportation and attract and gain new riders, identifying ourselves as a transit system that is out in front in the areas of clean air and environmental policy really helps show that we are walking the walk,” Negriff said. Aside from cleaner emissions, Big Blue Bus is spending significantly less on fuel in part thanks to a 50-cent-per-gallon federal fuel tax credit, which results in an approximate $1.5 million annual savings. “Keep in mind that is with about 65 percent of our fuel being natural gas. As we convert to 100-percent natural gas, that credit will go up,” Negriff said. “However, the fuel tax credit is something that is only extended through the end of this year, so we’re working to ensure that it remains a part of any future transportation authorization bill that may occur.” The Big Blue Bus’ transit fleet consists of
RTC of Southern Nevada uses several different alternative fuels, depending on the service the vehicle is used for.
218 buses that operate on LNG, gas-electric hybrids, and biodiesel.
Southern Nevada Chooses Alt-Fuel Based on Operating Conditions The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC), headquartered in Las Vegas, operates 423 buses that run on fuels including biodiesel, dieselelectric hybrids, CNG, and flex-fuels. Beginning in 2001, the RTC’s board began focusing on sustainability and air quality by concentrating on both alternative fuels and fuel economy. The agency kicked off its jump to alternative fuels in 2001 with the purchase of seven CNG buses. “They performed better than expected, so from there we added an additional 45 CNG vehicles to our fixed-route fleet,” said Sandy Stanko, RTC’s director of transit services, who added that the agency focuses its purchasing decisions on determining which type of vehicle best fits the operating conditions. That focus led to the purchase of 130 double-decker coaches running on B-5 biodiesel because it accommodated more passengers, thus providing a savings in fuel costs. The agency also chose to run hybrid dieselelectric vehicles with both ISE Corp. and Allison propulsion systems, including its Wright Group Streetcar RTV vehicles, for its BRT routes because the hybrid propulsion systems, with their regenerative braking, were ideal for the application. Rudy Long, vehicle maintenance coordinator at the RTC, said the use of all these different types of alternative propulsion systems has gone off with only minor hitches. “With our hybrid vehicle purchases, the manufacturers came in and provided onsite training, so if we had any obstacles our
technicians were able to take care of them,” he said. “Even with the Wright buses being a whole new type of vehicle, we only had a couple of small hurdles getting started, but they have really performed great. We’ve also had minimal issues with our CNG vehicles.” Stanko added that another small challenge during any alternative-fuel rollout has been keeping drivers up to speed through driver training. “We want make sure that we are all working together to achieve maximum fuel economy, so we focused on things such as idling, braking, and making sure the drivers understood the differences between hybrid and diesel vehicles,” Stanko said. Stanko and Long reported that the RTC is experiencing increased fuel mileage from both its hybrid and CNG vehicles. The agency also plans on expanding its alternativefuel program by introducing New Flyer gasoline-electric hybrids by the end of this year, using ARRA funds; however, Stanko added that which alternative fuel it plans on using down the road is still unclear. “We still have probably about 60 vehicles scheduled to be replaced and will probably continue to look at both hybrid and CNG vehicles,” she said. “We just haven’t really made up our minds at this point.” Long said knowing what you’re trying to achieve with the vehicle purchase is key, stressing that agencies must first determine for what type of application the vehicles will be used. “Is the bus you are using going to be for residential or highway use?” he asked. “If it is highway, you may see more benefits with CNG, but residential areas would benefit from hybrids because of the regenerative braking, based on our experience.” About the Author Alex Roman is managing editor of Metro Magazine, serving the bus and rail transit and motorcoach operations industry. He can be reached at alex.roman@ bobit.com. Read an expanded version of this article online at w www.greenfleetmagazine.com. JULY / AUGUST 2011 ■ GREEN FLEET
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Helping Fleets Run Clean in
Long Island Greater Long Island Clean Cities Coordinator Rita Ebert is supporting fleet efforts to leave petroleum behind. By Julie Sutor
F
or hundreds of school buses, refuse haulers, dump trucks, and other fleet vehicles in Long Island, N.Y., gasoline and diesel are visible only through the rearview mirror. With the help of Clean Cities Coordinator Rita Ebert, public and private fleets throughout the region are transitioning to run on compressed natural gas (CNG) and Community leaders gather for the grand opening of a compressed natural gas fueling staother alternative fuels. tion at Middle Country School District in Long Island in May. (L-R) Scott Zepp, Greenfield Compression; Councilwoman Kathleen Walsh, Town of Brookhaven, N.Y.; Congressman Ebert has led the work of the Greater Tim Bishop; Frank Morgigno and Pat McClave, Engineered Energy Solutions; and Herb Long Island Clean Cities Coalition (GLICChessler, Middle Country School District. CC) since 2007. GLICCC counts more than 400 stakeholders in its membership, making it one of the largest Clean Cities coalitrict in Selden, Long Island, is just one of the grand opening, and the district is very haptions in the nation. Under Ebert’s leaderorganizations benefiting from Ebert’s dedipy with the project. They’re saving monship, GLICCC projects saved 11 million cation to alternative fuels. She helped secure ey on fuel and reducing their students’ exgallons of petroleum in 2010 alone. more than $2 million in state and federal posure to diesel exhaust. It’s a win-win,” “Moving the transportation secfunding so the district could build a Ebert said. tor away from gasoline and diesel CNG fueling station and convert its fuel is obviously an enormous unfleet of more than 70 diesel buses to Get Involved With Clean Cities dertaking,” Ebert said. “But when run on natural gas. The project is on For more information about GLICCC, you consider all the public health pace to be completed by 2014, elime-mail Ebert at rebert@gliccc.org. benefits and the economic payoffs, inating the need for 165,000 gallons Through the work of nearly 100 local coof diesel per year. alitions, Clean Cities advances the nation’s it’s well worth our effort.” EBERT The Middle Country School Dis“We just had the fueling station’s economic, environmental, and energy security by reducing petroleum use in transportation. Clean Cities is an initiative of the “MOVING THE TRANSPORTATION SECU.S. Department of Energy. Find out more at www.cleancities.energy.gov. TOR AWAY FROM GASOLINE AND DIE-
SEL FUEL IS OBVIOUSLY AN ENORMOUS UNDERTAKING.“But when you consider all the public health benefits and the economic payoffs, it’s well worth our effort.” – Rita Ebert, coordinator, Greater Long Island Clean Cities Coalition 26
About the Author Julie Sutor is a writer and editor for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). She can be reached via e-mail at julie.sutor@nrel.gov.
SUTOR
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Academy Award for Best Picture:
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Billboard’s Top Song:
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Price of a gallon of gas 89¢
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average price of a new car
$9,255.00 Best Selling car Chevrolet Celebrity
Fleet Response founded in Cleveland, OH
average gas mileage
26 mpg
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VEHICLESHO GREEN
Six vehicles covering the gamut of fuel options can help fleets improve fuel efficiency, lower operating costs, and reduce dependence on foreign oil.
HYBRID H
H
HINO COE HYBRID
The all-new Hino COE models were designed specifically for the North American market. Available with diesel or diesel-electric hybrid powertrains, the 14,500-lb. GVW Class 4 and 19,500-lb. GVW Class 5 COE trucks both feature 210 hp and 440 lb.-ft. of torque from Hino’s 5.0L J05E Series engine, utilizing Aisin’s A465, 6-speed automatic transmission. Both models also feature a 33-inch wide, 56,900 psi frame with a centermounted rear fuel tank. In addition to a diesel-electric hybrid option, both models meet or exceed EPA 2010 emissions regulations by utilizing an optimized SCR system. No credits required. A Hino diesel or Hybrid COE can be upfitted to fit specific business needs,
DIESEL D
whether it’s for food & beverage distribution, general freight, landscaping, construction, or utility. With an available crew cab option, the Hino COE makes sense for a wide range of applications. Local
Hino Truck dealers can right-size trucks to precisely fit the needs of your company. The company’s goal is to “keep business in motion, and in your business, nothing is more important.”
D
MERCEDES-BENZ S350
On the 75th anniversary of the introduction of the first mass-produced, diesel passenger car, the 260D, the 2012 S350 4MATIC sedan combines the refinement of the S-Class with the clean and quietrunning 3.0L V-6 turbocharged BlueTEC engine. The 2012 Mercedes-Benz S-Class offers an array of driver amenities and fuel-efficient technologies. The new S350 introduces a 50-state clean diesel engine that provides torque and acceleration comparable to a V-8, with fuel economy that surpasses that of most V-6 engines, according to the manufacturer. BlueTEC technology controls emissions by driving exhaust gases through filters to the catalytic converter, where they mix with a new water-based additive, AdBlue. 28
Available with diesel or diesel-electric hybrid powertrains, the Hino COE can be upfitted to fit specific business needs and features an available crew cab option.
The new Mercedes-Benz S350 introduces a 50-state clean diesel engine, and standard features include 4MATIC all-wheel-drive and numerous safety features.
The process converts nitrogen oxides into harmless nitrogen and water. Standard features in the S350 include 4MATIC all-wheel-drive, COMAND with 40 GB hard drive, GPS navigation with voice control, Bluetooth interface, media interface, and SIRIUS Satellite Radio. Also standard are 16-way power heated and active ventilated front seats with pneumatic
lumbar support and memory, bi-xenon headlamps with LED daytime running lamps, Active Curve Illumination and Adaptive Highbeam Assist, and PRE-SAFE Predictive Occupant Protection system. Other Mercedes-Benz vehicles utilizing BlueTEC clean-diesel technology include the E350 Sedan and the ML350 4MATIC and GL350 4MATIC SUVs.
GREEN FLEET ■ JULY / AUGUST 2011
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ESHOWCASE NATURAL GAS NG
NG
FREIGHTLINER
Freightliner Trucks recently announced the expansion of its proven alternative fuel offering by introducing natural gas technology into its new 114 Severe Duty (SD) set-back axle (SBA) truck. Freightliner already offers the industry’s only turn-key conventional chassis natural gas solution in its Business Class M2 112 product line. Production will begin on the natural gas 114SD SBA in December 2011. Designed for vocational and municipal applications such as dump, sweeper and sewer vacs, the factory-built 114SD SBA natural gas truck will include the lightweight Cummins-Westport ISLG 8.9L, 320 hp natural gas engine, which is designed for enhanced fuel economy,
ETHANOL E
Designed for vocational applications, the factory-built 140SD SAB natural gas truck will include the Cummins-Westport ISLG 8.9L natural gas engine.
performance, and dependability with near-zero emissions. The truck will also be equipped with the Allison 3000RDS transmission, which includes patented
torque converter technology that results in improved startability at the launch of the vehicle, full-power shifts, and a better performing engine.
E
BUICK REGAL TURBO
The 2011 Buick Regal Turbo is the first direct-injected turbocharged production car capable of running on any blend of gasoline or E-85 ethanol, joining more than 5 million flex-fuel models General Motors has produced over the last 15 years. The turbocharged Ecotec 2.0L inline four-cylinder engine powers the Regal. Compared to earlier versions of the 2.0L Ecotec turbo, GM powertrain engineers have significantly upgraded the new engine to accommodate both E-85 and to incorporate refinements. The engine produces 258 lb.-ft. of torque from 2,0005,500 rpm. Other changes to the turbo engine for 2011 go well beyond the addition of flex-fuel capability. The 2.0L Ecotec turbo has a new precision sand cast aluminum cylinder block that provides better durability while transmitting less
Capable of running on gasoline or E-85 ethanol, the 2011 Buick Regal Turbo features a 2.0L inline four-cylinder engine.
noise and vibration, according to the manufacturer. The end result is a quieter and more refined power plant that helps the Regal
achieve best-in-class levels of noise, vibration, and harshness and the ability to operate on current and next-generation renewable biofuels. JULY / AUGUST 2011 â– GREEN FLEET
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GREEN VEHICLE SHOWCASE GASOLINE G
G
FORD F-150
The most extensive powertrain overhaul in the 62-year history of Ford F-Series highlights the 2011 Ford F-150. The engine lineup includes four new truck engines; a 3.7L V-6, 5.0L, 6.2L V-8, and a twin turbocharged 3.5L EcoBoost. Each engine is mated to a fuel-saving 6-speed automatic transmission. Ford is the first and only automaker to equip its entire full-size pickup lineup with fuel saving 6-speed automatic transmissions as standard equipment, according to the manufacturer. The all-new powertrain lineup provides up to a 20-percent fuel economy benefit versus the 2010-MY F-150 along with maintaining best-in-class towing and horsepower. In addition, two of the engines are E-85/FFV capable; the 3.7L base engine and 5.0L midrange engine. From a sustainability standpoint, the increased fuel economy also provides a significant reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG)/CO2 emissions.
G
For example, the 3.7L base engine achieves an EPA-rated fuel economy of 17 mpg city/23 hwy, in comparison to the 2010-MY F-150 4.6L 2V engine rated at 14/19. This increase in fuel economy results in an EPA “tons of CO2” reduction of 1.8 tons (from 11.6 to 9.8); when E-85 is used, this improvement becomes even
great with a 4-ton reduction. Standard safety features include AdvanceTrac with roll stability control, safety canopy side curtain air bags, dualstage front seat-mounted side air bags, SecuriLock passive anti-theft system, SOS post-crash alert system, and four-wheel anti-lock brake system (ABS).
CHRYSLER 200
The 2011 Chrysler 200 is a mid-size sedan. For the 2011 model-year, the vehicle was updated with exterior and sheet metal upgrades, including front and rear fascias and fenders, grille featuring new Chrysler brand winged badge, new hood, LED positioning light pipe in front headlamps, rear deck lid and exterior mirrors, new projector headlamps and fog lamps, new LED taillamps, and an LED center high-mounted stoplight. The sedan is offered with a 2.4L World Gas Engine, which has been recalibrated and is now mated to a 6-speed transmission. The 2.4L I-4 engine produces 173 hp and 260 lb.-ft. of torque. The 2.4L World Gas Engine can also be mated to a 4-speed automatic transmission. The 200 sedan’s standard safety features include: standard advanced multistage front passenger air bags, active 30
Featuring four new truck engines, the 2011 Ford F-150 lineup provides up to a 20-percent fuel economy benefit versus the 2010-MY model.
The 2011 Chrysler 200 is offered with a 2.4L World Gas Engine mated to a 6-speed transmission. Four different configurations are available in the U.S.
head restraints, electronic stability control (ESC), front seat side air bags, side curtain air bags, four-wheel anti-lock brakes (ABS), electronic traction control, Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH)
child seat anchor system, and available Uconnect voice command. Four different U.S. configurations are available: the Chrysler 200 LX, 200 Touring, 200 Limited, and 200 S.
GREEN FLEET ■ JULY / AUGUST 2011
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OCTOBER 3-4, 2011 Gaylord Texan • Grapevine, TX Designed by Fleet Buyers for Fleet Buyers
Look Inside for Ways to Green Your Fleet and Reduce Costs!
GFC06-11.11
EVENT SPONSORS
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Supporting Organization
6/15/11 1:35:39 PM 6/15/11 1:23:12 PM
Green Fleet Conference & Expo is the nation’s largest, most sought-after gathering of fleet
professionals that focuses on building efficient and cost-effective alternative fuel and environmentally sustainable fleets. LEARN: All areas of alternative fuels will be covered in our cutting-edge educational program led
by public- and private-sector industry leaders. You’ll hear about the latest green initiatives being put into practice, directly from the experts. With separate tracks offering information for the private and public sectors, you’ll leave armed with the information you need to move your fleet towards environmental sustainability. If it’s happening in the green arena today, you’ll hear about it in the Green Fleet Conference & Expo Expo’s p s educational sessions. SEE: Everyone who’s anyone in the alternative-fuel vehicle and green fleet-related product
and service providers will be represented in this unique marketplace. See the latest innovations from major auto manufacturers such as: Audi of America, CODA Automotive, FerrellGas, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Honda, Mercedes, Mitsubishi, ROUSH CleanTech, Toyota and R Volkswagen Register egister of America.
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you with the rare opportunity to see and test-drive alternative-fuel vehicles one after another! Turn the page for a list of manufacturers bringing vehicles!
GOING GREENER! You will receive limited printed brochures and postcards in the mail prior to the show this year – Green Fleet Conference & Expo’s efforts to go greener! Instead, we’ll update you via email. Please be sure to visit our website at www.GreenFleetConference.com and sign up for email updates so you can stay on top of the latest conference news and important money-saving deadlines.
Register Now at www.GreenFleetConference.com GRN_31-34.indd 32 GRN0711gfc_brochure.indd 2
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GRN0711gfc_brochure
OCTOBER 3-4, 2011 Gaylord Texan • Grapevine, TX
Schedule At-A-Glance (subject to change) MONDAY, OCTOBER 3 7:30am - 5:00pm Registration Open 9:00am - 10:00am Opening Keynote: Creating the Technology and Using it in Fleet Operations
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4 8:00am - 3:30pm Registration Open 8:00am - 8:45am Continental Breakfast 8:45am - 9:00am Environmental Leadership Awards Ceremony
10:00am - 10:15am
Networking Break
9:00am - 10:00am
10:15am - 11:00am
Concurrent Sessions • Government Building a CNG Infrastructure for Both Public & Private Use
Keynote Address: Energy Diversity is the Key to Energy Independence: How this Strategy will Change the Automotive & Fleet Industries
10:05am - 11:00am
Concurrent Sessions • Government How to Become Green Fleet Certified • Corporate Developing Metrics to Measure GHG Emissions
11:00am - 11:15am 11:15am - 12:00pm
Networking Break General Session OEMs Reveal Future Product Plans – Part 2
12:00pm - 2:00pm
Exhibits & Lunch
2:10pm - 2:40pm
General Session How to Determine the Alternative Fuel Right for Your Fleet
2:40pm - 3:30pm
Closing General Session Are You Missing Out on “Free” Money? Grant & Funding Opportunities Available – Now!
• Corporate Lessons Learned: Corporate Fleet Managers Share Real-World AFV Experiences 11:05am - 12:00pm
eence ence.com e.com 87 8788. 8788 8. 12:00pm - 2:00pm 2:00pm - 2:45pm
General Session OEMs Reveal Future Product Plans – Part 1 Ride & Drive and Lunch General Session What Fleets Need to Know Beforehand About Propane Implementation
2:45pm - 3:00pm
Networking Break
3:00pm - 3:45pm
General Session Looking Ahead to the Next Generation of AFVs
3:45pm - 4:30pm
General Session Innovative Solutions Session
4:30pm - 7:30pm
Exhibits & Reception
Scan this barcode on your smartphone app and you will be led to the full schedule on the website!
or Call 800-576-8788 for More Information 6/15/11 1:23:18 PM
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OCTOBER 3-4, 2011 Gaylord Texan • Grapevine, TX
Official Conference Hotel:
Monday, October 3
Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center
12:00pm – 2:00pm Back by popular demand, the Green Fleet Conference gives you the chance to test drive “green” vehicles and see the new technology in action. Vehicle manufacturers such as Audi of America; CODA Automotive; Ford Motor Company; General Motors; Honda; IMPCO Automotive; Mercedes; ROUSH; NatGasCar; NGVAmerica; THINKNorth America; Toyota; and Volkswagen of America will be there with keys in hand to show you their best. So take a vehicle out for a spin and experience it for yourself!
1501 Gaylord Trail Grapevine, Texas 76051
Room Rate: $184 per night while rooms are available Deadline: September 9, 2011 Book by Phone: (866) 782-7897 or visit www.GreenFleetConference.com to register online Reference: Green Fleet Conference
Registration Rates Full Conference Pass
BEFORE 9/9/11
AFTER 9/9/11 & ON-SITE
$495
$595
(Includes all conference workshops, exhibit hall access, Ride & Drive, meals and receptions.) Vehicle test driving is included with your Green Fleet Conference registration. Remember to bring a valid driver’s license.
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Supplier Pass
$595
$695
Industry Suppliers that are not directly responsible for managing a fleet of vehicles. (Includes all conference workshops, exhibit hall access, Ride & Drive, meals and receptions.)
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SHO WCASE TRANSIT DESIGNLINE ECOSMART ALL-ELECTRIC BUS The EcoSmart, DesignLine Corporation’s current production all-electric vehicle, offers 100 miles of continuous daily range in real-world operations and produces zero exhaust emissions. The EcoSmart’s battery storage systems power wheels and all vehicle accessories. The bus features aerodynamic styling with curved body and seamless windows, a proprietary vehicle management system that monitors and controls all aspects of operation and tailors performance to maximize efficiency, and remote data logging. The electric vehicle produces reduced noise levels for the comfort of passengers and those nearby. Measuring 35 feet in length, the bus has a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 43,400 lbs. It is available
The EcoSmart is available in all-electric and extended range electric models.
in all-electric and extended range electric models. DesignLine, headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is a developer of alternative energy vehicles for the mass transportation in-
dustry. All its clean propulsion systems are specifically designed to excel in the high density, stop-and-go, urban transit route profile, according to the company. www.designlinecorporation.com
NEW FLYER XCELSIOR HYBRID BUS New Flyer’s Xcelsior transit bus, available with both Allison and BAE hybrid drive trains, is lighter in weight, quieter, and more fuel efficient than comparable buses and has achieved 5.88 miles per gallon, according to the company. To improve fuel efficiency, the company reduced the weight of the cooling system, interior panels, fuel tank, and flooring. Altoona testing also shows the bus has the lowest interior noise at the center and rear, as well as lowest exterior noise. Xcelsior features an integrated roofline, less-visible drip rails and fasteners, fiberglass exterior panels for flush windows, and LED headlights. The upgraded interior features LED lighting, skylight roof hatches, and styling upgrades. Enhanced insulation, single-reduction rear axle, and roof-mounted air conditioning provide
Xcelsior’s reduced weight of cooling system, interior panels, fuel tank, and flooring help improve fuel economy.
additional passenger comfort. The bus includes an electronic instrument panel for the operator. Preventive maintenance and repairs are easier due to fiberglass exterior panels, slide-out battery compartment,
swing-out fan belt guard, and interior engine access door, according to New Flyer. The Xcelsior is available in three lengths — 35 feet, 40 feet, and 60 feet. www.newflyer.com
JULY / AUGUST 2011 ■ GREEN FLEET
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GREEN TALK
The Best Green Fleet Strategy is to Reduce Fuel Consumption MIKE ANTICH
T
he most powerful incentive to green a fleet occurs when fuel prices are rising. Higher fuel prices create pressure to maximize fuel efficiency in order to lower fuel costs. If you decrease fuel consumption, you automatically lower emissions. The bottom line is that increased fuel efficiency equates to less fuel burned, which equates to fewer emissions and lower costs. The reality is, the overwhelming majority of fleet vehicles in operation today are powered by either gasoline or diesel engines. If you want to green your fleet by reducing emissions, you need to decrease fuel consumption. The way employees drive companyassigned vehicles can improve (or decrease) fuel economy and decrease (or increase) emissions. In fact, according to EPA data, up to 30 percent of a vehicle’s fuel efficiency is impacted by driver behavior. Most company drivers average 20,000 miles per year. The way an employee drives make a big difference in the volume of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions emitted by a company vehicle. For example, every unnecessary gallon of gasoline burned creates 19.5 lbs. of CO2. Similarly, every unnecessary gallon of diesel burned creates 22.1 lbs. of CO2.
Low-Hanging Fruit The quickest way to reduce fuel consumption is to modify employee driving behavior. In essence, you need to change your drivers’ mind-set to make them “greener” drivers. Common sense tells us the best time to control emissions is before they occur. If you are serious about achieving fleet sustainability objectives, you need to make the driver your primary focus. This is not a one-time effort; it is an ongoing, never-ending process. If you truly want a “greener” fleet, you need to develop “greener” drivers. One example of being a “greener” driver is reducing unnecessary idling. This is a simple and easy way to reduce fuel costs. Think about it. The worst mileage a vehicle can get is 0 miles per gallon, which occurs when it 36
idles. In addition to wasting fuel, unnecessary idling produces unnecessary GHG emissions. The amount of unnecessary idling varies by fleet, but some fleets have recorded idling as much as 35 percent of the time. Eliminating an hour of idling per day will result in a significant fuel savings and emissions reduction. Idling for long periods, whether at a job site, railroad crossing, or pulling off the road to make a cell phone call, consumes fuel that could be saved by simply turning off the engine. A turned-off engine doesn’t produce tailpipe emissions. The biggest challenge to implementing an anti-idling program is educating drivers. Some drivers mistakenly believe that frequently starting and stopping an engine uses more gas and/or causes additional wear and tear on the vehicle. This may have been a concern in the past, but today’s engines are more efficient and don’t require as much fuel to start. Restarting an engine uses about the same amount of fuel as does an engine idling for 30 seconds. The rule of thumb is that when idling for longer than 30 seconds, turn off the engine. However, be aware that turning off the engine may also disable safety features, such as air bags. Drivers should be certain to utilize this idling-reduction strategy only in situations where there is no possibility of a collision. A common reason for excess idling is to operate an air conditioning system so a driver can stay cool in the summer or to operate a heater to stay warm in the winter. This poses a dilemma. Fleet managers struggle with this form of idling because they want to reduce fuel costs, but not at the expense of driver morale. For many employees, their vehicles are also their office. I don’t have an easy answer on how to resolve this dilemma. The resolution will vary by company and be dictated by the corporate culture.
Focus on the Fundamentals When striving to modify driver behavior to a “greener” driving mind-set, there are fundamental areas fleet managers should
focus and communicate to their drivers. For instance, keeping tires properly inflated increases fuel efficiency by 3 percent. Reducing driving speed also conserves fuel. For every 10 mph of speed reduced, fuel economy improves by 4 mpg. Also, instruct drivers to avoid jackrabbit starts. One second of highpowered driving produces the same volume of carbon monoxide as a half hour of normal driving. If a vehicle has a trip computer, encourage drivers to use the instant fueleconomy display to refine driving habits to become more fuel-efficient. Recommend drivers pre-plan trips to minimize stop-and-go driving, which burns fuel more quickly and increases emissions. Also, recommend combining several short trips into one. Not only does this reduce fuel consumption, but a warmed-up engine produces less emissions. For a catalytic converter to work, it must be heated to a certain temperature. That’s why the greatest amount of emissions are emitted into the air when starting a cold engine. Ultimately, drivers determine which fuel to pump into the vehicle (such as E-85 versus gasoline), which routes to take, or whether to drive conservatively or aggressively. Some fleet managers have successfully developed the business case to acquire technological tools to modify driver behavior, such as telematics systems and GPS productivity tools to reduce fuel consumption, which have proven to be highly effective. In the final analysis, the “greenest” vehicle is the one that isn’t driven. However, a fleet needs to move employees and cargo. To accomplish its mission, a fleet needs to burn fuel. The question is, how do you burn less of it? Invariably, companies focus on modifying the vehicle asset to green their fleet. However, the easiest (and most cost-effective) way to achieve a sustainable reduction in fuel consumption and carbon footprint is to modify driver behavior. Let me know what you think. mike.antich@bobit.com
GREEN FLEET ■ JULY / AUGUST 2011
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GE Capital Fleet Services
See the opportunity When a client with more than 1,000 service vehicles saw gas prices spike to $4 per gallon, we saw opportunity — starting with their vehicle model. Pulling together a team of GE strategists, truck engineers, ďŹ nancial advisors and account managers, we leveraged our collective expertise and talent to model, pilot and help implement an accelerated new-vehicle replacement plan. It resulted in a total cost-of-ownership savings, including reduced fuel expenses, of more than 12 percent and a 40 percent reduction in CO2 emissions. This is just one example of how we turn challenges into opportunities and bring clients every possible advantage. Let us show you how our strategic intelligence can help you leave high fuel costs behind. GE Capital Fleet Services. Bringing you every advantage. Visit geeet.com.
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THE CHALLENGE: MEETING COMPANY INITIATIVES OUR SOLUTION: ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS CHOICES
| 2011 GMC YUKON HYBRID1 EPA-est. MPG 20 city/23 hwy.
| 2011 CHEVROLET CRUZE EPA-est. MPG 24 city/36 hwy.
Whether it’s meeting companywide environmental initiatives or government standards, fleet managers face many challenges. GM offers a wide range of solutions, including fuel-efficient vehicles, hybrids,1 biofuel vehicles2 and the revolutionary Chevrolet Volt.3 Our environmental commitment goes beyond vehicles—it includes how we operate our factories and offices around the world. For more solutions, visit gmfleet.com. Available to order at participating dealers. E85 is 85% ethanol, 15% gasoline. To see if there is an E85 station near you, visit gmfleet.com/afv. Available to order at participating dealers in CA, TX, MI, NY, NJ, CT and DC. Quantities limited. ©2011 General Motors LLC 1
2
3
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Vol. 15, No. 1 April 2011
Clean Cities Now Plugging In Cities are planning for electric vehicle infrastructure
Raleigh, NC
Los Angeles, CA
Houston, TX
Oregon
Clean Cities TV to Broadcast Coalition Successes Keeping Trash from Going to Waste with Renewable Natural Gas Renewable Fuels in New Jersey
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Dear Readers, In preparation for the widespread adoption of all-electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, city officials, utility companies, and local leaders are working together to speed up permitting processes for installing home charging equipment. To help cities navigate this new territory, Clean Cities developed case studies detailing the experiences of four electric vehicle pacesetters—the state of Oregon, Houston, Los Angeles, and Raleigh, North Carolina—that are leading the charge. Our feature article on page 6 summarizes the experiences of these areas and includes examples of how electric vehicles are being launched in Clean Cities coalitions across the country. Dennis Smith
Renewable natural gas (RNG) is another area we are exploring in this issue. See our Technology Spotlight on page 4 to learn about this gaseous biofuel that’s produced from organic waste. The article describes RNG, explains its beneďŹ ts, and tells how it’s being used in the ďŹ eld. This issue also includes a variety of articles celebrating our coalitions’ successful deployment of alternative fuels and advanced vehicles and use of fuel economy and idle reduction measures. Turn to the Coalition News section on page 8 to read about the country’s ďŹ rst compressed natural gas ambulance in California, hybrid electric school buses helping kids breathe easier in Kentucky, a million gallons of E85 dispensed in Pennsylvania, and much more.
Linda Bluestein
Also in this issue, you’ll ďŹ nd information about the program’s new Clean Cities TV online educational channel and new Clean Cities resources available on the Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center website. We hope you enjoy this issue. Let us know what you think at cleancities@nrel.gov.
Dennis A. Smith National Clean Cities Director
Linda Bluestein National Clean Cities Co-Director
In This Issue Program News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Coordinator ProďŹ le: p5
Tool Tips: An Online Tool Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Technology Spotlight: Renewable Natural Gas . . . . .4 Coordinator ProďŹ le: Chuck Feinberg, New Jersey Clean Cities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Feature: Early Plug-In Vehicle Markets Prepare for Success. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Clearing the Air in Kentucky: p10
Renewable Natural Gas: p4
Coalition News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Ask the Technical Response Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Clean Cities Now is published biannually. View an electronic version at www.afdc.energy. gov/cleancities/ccn. To order print copies, go to www.eere.energy.gov/library.
On the Road to ElectriďŹ cation: p6
Editor: Heather Proc, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Writers: Julie Sutor and Jarett Zuboy, NREL Design: Dean Armstrong and Joshua Bauer, NREL Images (from top): from DOE/PIX 17030; by Trish Cozart, NREL/PIX 17004; from Melissa Howell; from Kentucky Clean Fuels Coalition; from Waste Management; from Mike Waters, from Progress Energy Cover images: Car from iStock/15630953. City images, left to right; visitraleigh.com, iStock/3153620, iStock/1681903, iStock/5498746.
April 2011
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Program News Clean Cities TV to Broadcast Coalition Successes Clean Cities coordinators now have a new outlet to spread the word about alternative fuels and advanced vehicles. Clean Cities TV (CCTV) is an online channel that allows coordinators to showcase successful Clean Cities projects to their peers, stakeholders, the general public, and key audiences like the National League of Cities and the International Association of Fire Chiefs. “Within the first year, we expect CCTV to have dozens of in-depth videos available at the click of a mouse,� says Clean Cities Project Leader Andrew Hudgins, of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. “CCTV will be a fantastic vehicle for coordinators to reach out to new stakeholders, stay
TV image from iStock/4487840
updated on emerging technologies, and give others the opportunity to learn from their progress.� About 40 Clean Cities coordinators and other coalition representatives met in Washington, D.C., in late February for video production training. This pilot group will help create a large portion
of CCTV’s first season of programming. What’s more, the training itself will be available on CCTV as a live and archived webcast, so other interested coordinators can learn to produce videos featuring their own success stories about alternative fuels, idle-reduction technologies, and electric vehicles. And CCTV staff will produce hour-long webcasts and training videos about timely transportation topics. “CCTV will have an impressive variety of content that’s going to amplify the great work coordinators are doing to reduce petroleum consumption. And we’ll be adding new programming all the time, so stay tuned,� Hudgins says. Visit CCTV at www.cleancities.tv. For more information, contact andrew. hudgins@nrel.gov.
Tool Tips Clean Cities develops a wide variety of Web-based tools to help eets, fuel providers, and consumers ďŹ nd ways to employ alternative fuels, advanced vehicles, and fuel economy improvements.
Clean Cities Tools Page The Clean Cities website features a convenient online directory of all its database searches, cost calculators, and interactive maps in one centralized location. The comprehensive tools page helps users quickly navigate to the 25 tools available on the Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center (AFDC), the premier website for transportation technologies.
“We are always striving to make the vast amount of information on the AFDC as accessible as possible,â€? says Johanna Levene, NREL technology supervisor for the AFDC. “By putting links to all of our tools and searches on one Web page, we are helping users ďŹ nd what they need fast and introducing them to some useful tools and searches they might not even know existed.â€?
Users can ďŹ nd the tools page on the AFDC under Information Resources at www.afdc.energy.gov/tools. The tools on the AFDC beneďŹ t everyone from legislators to eet owners to consumers. Users can generate a map of the nearest alternative fueling stations, research vehicle speciďŹ cations for hybrid and alternative fuel light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles, compare mileage estimates, calculate cost savings for natural gas or exible fuel vehicles, search for incentives and rebates, and more.
April 2011
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Technology Spotlight
Renewable Natural Gas A Gaseous Biofuel that Keeps Trash from Going to Waste When you think of biofuels, you probably think of ethanol and biodiesel. Renewable natural gas (RNG) might not be the first thing to cross your mind, but this gaseous biofuel offers powerful benefits and springs from one of the world’s most ubiquitous resources—organic waste. When organic wastes decompose without oxygen—a process called anaerobic digestion—they typically produce a gaseous mixture of about 35% to 55% methane, 20% to 45% carbon dioxide, other gases, and trace contaminants. This impure mixture is called biogas. Purifying biogas results in a fuel called RNG or biomethane, with a methane content greater than 90%. Biogas comes from various organic wastes, including sewage, municipal solid waste, agricultural and industrial waste, and animal manure. Today, landfills are the largest source of captured biogas in the United States. In 1996, the Landfill Rule of the Clean Air Act required large landfills to collect and “destroy� their biogas by flaring it. This converts methane (a potent green-
Gas Terminology Ä‘ĆŤ Biogas, produced by the anaerobic digestion of organic waste, is a relatively impure mixture of methane, carbon dioxide, other gases, and contaminants. With minimal processing, biogas can be used for electricity generation and some industrial applications. Ä‘ĆŤ Renewable natural gas (RNG) is made by purifying biogas to a high methane content. RNG can be used in natural gas vehicles and distributed via natural gas pipelines (biogas is generally too impure for these applications). RNG is also called biomethane.
Most of the vehicles that use RNG in the U.S. are refuse trucks. At California’s Altamont LandďŹ ll, tankers ďŹ ll up with liqueďŹ ed RNG and distribute it for use in 350 refuse trucks throughout the state. Photos from Waste Management
house gas) and harmful organic gases into less-harmful compounds such as carbon dioxide. Instead of merely flaring biogas, some landfills began capturing and using it. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established the Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP) to encourage this practice. Today, 541 landfills are producing electricity equivalent to about 0.6% of U.S. electricity consumption, and natural gas equivalent to about 0.5% of U.S. natural gas consumption. The EPA estimates that biogas from another 510 U.S. landfills could be harnessed for energy production. Biogas requires relatively little processing for use in electricity production and some industrial applications. Most U.S. landfill energy projects generate electricity onsite. A few projects purify the biogas and inject the resulting RNG into natural gas distribution pipelines or use it as a vehicle fuel. The biogas must be processed and compressed for these applications, which increases costs. On the other hand, the products can be of higher value than electricity or displace fuels that produce more harmful emissions.
“Landfill energy projects take advantage of the opportunities that are available,� says Marianne Mintz, principal investigator for Clean Cities’ RNG analysis at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). Electricity is usually a good option if a grid connection is available. Gas distribution can work if the source is close to a gas pipeline or a facility that needs process heat. For transportation, fueling infrastructure and natural gas vehicles are required. Because RNG can cost more than conventional natural gas, incentives
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are also important. Funding from public or private organizations can make the difference between a project being financially viable or not. On the policy side, biogas-electricity projects can help utilities satisfy state renewable portfolio standards. RNG transportation projects can help satisfy state low-carbon fuel standards and the federal Renewable Fuel Standard. Today, only a handful of U.S. landfills, dairy farms, and wastewater treatment plants produce RNG for transportation, and fewer than 500 natural gas vehicles currently use it. In contrast, Sweden, which has the world’s most aggressive RNG program, fuels thousands of natural gas vehicles with RNG. Clean Cities is working to expand RNG use in transportation. Projects in Georgia and Washington received funding through Clean Cities as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Clean Cities has also supported RNG research and development. “RNG projects are usually large and take time to put together, so support and patience are important,� says Mintz. Using RNG as a vehicle fuel provides important benefits. A recent ANL study found that landfill-derived RNG can reduce vehicular fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by more than 70% compared with petroleum gasoline and diesel and conventional natural gas. The potential supply of RNG has not been well established. However, it is clear that the United States—with many untapped sources of organic waste—has just scratched the surface of this renewable resource. For more information, visit the EPA’s LMOP (www.epa.gov/lmop) and AgStar Program (www.epa.gov/agstar) and the Clean Cities Waste-to-Wheels workshop (www.eere.energy.gov/cleancities/ waste_to_wheels.html).
Each Technology Spotlight details an alternative fuel or technology and companies that offer or use it. Clean Cities does not endorse the technologies or companies featured.
Coordinator ProďŹ le Chuck Feinberg Builds Momentum for Alternative Fuels in New Jersey
Chuck Feinberg. Photo “You’re from New Jersey? What exit?â€? That old joke from Melissa Howell annoys some New Jersey residents, but it suggests how central vehicles and highways are to life in the Garden State. For New Jersey Clean Cities Coalition (NJCCC) Coordinator Chuck Feinberg, that very car culture makes New Jersey the perfect proving ground for alternative fuels and advanced vehicles. Feinberg ďŹ rst became involved with NJCCC in 2009 as an environmental consultant, having worked on everything from Superfund cleanups to renewable energy to biofuels development. “I took a real interest in the biofuels side of things and learned that there really are viable alternatives to petroleum,â€? Feinberg says. “I became aware of Clean Cities, saw its potential, and got involved. One thing led to another, and now I’m the coordinator.â€? Shortly after Feinberg took the coalition’s helm, he rounded up several stakeholders to develop a proposal for a statewide natural gas vehicle and infrastructure project. Feinberg applied for funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and Clean Cities awarded NJCCC $15 million to deploy almost 300 natural gas garbage trucks and shuttle buses and six new fast-ďŹ ll compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling stations throughout Atlantic and Morris Counties and the cities of Newark, Camden, and Trenton. The project established New Jersey’s ďŹ rst and only statewide network of alternative fuel infrastructure and is projected to displace at least 1.8 million gallons of petroleum each year. Since the project’s inception, Feinberg’s phone has been ringing off the hook with inquiries from public and private eets interested in incorporating natural gas into their own operations. “We’ve become a well-known entity in New Jersey. We’ve been able to establish ourselves as the go-to organization in the state on alternative fuel technologies and funding opportunities,â€? he says. Natural gas isn’t the only thing on NJCCC’s agenda under Feinberg’s leadership: The coalition is also busy laying the groundwork for electric vehicle (EV) deployment. NJCCC has a contract with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to advise the state on policy issues regarding EVs. Under the contract, NJCCC wrote a report recommending a package of measures that would encourage the EV market. Feinberg also serves as the facilitator for a statewide interagency task force for EVs. Feinberg recently helped form a renewable natural gas working group that includes 20 representatives from industry and academia. The group is working to ďŹ nd ways to develop renewable natural gas, or biomethane, as a transportation fuel in New Jersey, since most existing state incentives apply to the fuel’s use in electricity generation. Feinberg’s tireless efforts and impressive progress have not gone unnoticed. He was one of eight nominees for the 2010 Clean Cities Coordinator of the Year Award. And he shows no signs of slowing as he looks to the future. “For the people who live here and those who are just passing through, we need to make sure that New Jersey has the infrastructure to make petroleum the fuel of the past,â€? Feinberg says.
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Feature
Early Plug-In Vehicle Markets Prepare for Success Oregon, Houston, Los Angeles, and Raleigh are on the road to electriďŹ cation This residential charging station is used by Oregon’s ďŹ rst Nissan Leaf owner, who describes his new PEV as a “computer on wheelsâ€? because he manages the battery charging via his laptop computer.
The first Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) were delivered to U.S. customers last December, accompanied by high hopes for a petroleum-free transportation revolution. However, this revolution will require preparation and the coordinated efforts of many stakeholders. Oregon; Houston; Los Angeles; and Raleigh, North Carolina, are among the nation’s PEV leaders. Their preparations and deployment activities are summarized below and detailed on the Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center website at www.afdc.energy.gov/plugin_
Photo from Rick Wallace, Oregon Department of Energy
The first wave of PEVs began arriving in Oregon in late 2010. “Oregon worked hard to prepare for PEVs,� says Rick Wallace, senior policy analyst at the Oregon Department of Energy and coordinator of the Columbia-Willamette Clean Cities Coalition. “Now, we’re tracking the arrival of the vehicles, and the team we’ve built will respond to issues that arise to ensure a successful deployment.�
the Houston Electric Vehicle Initiative. It also received PEV grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Showcase Communities Program and from DOE via the Texas State Energy Conservation Office. Many of Houston’s PEV buyers will receive a free residential charging station as part of the Electric Vehicle Initiative, while the City of Houston and energy provider NRG EV Services are installing more than 200 municipal and public stations. An ongoing project will help determine if transformers in neighborhoods with many PEV charging stations have adequate capacity. Houston is also participating in the EV Project and Project Get Ready. Texas’ first PEV arrived in Houston in January. The City of Houston fleet will begin receiving PEVs in March.
Houston
Los Angeles
Houston is an energy and transportation giant, with the nation’s largest petrochemical and refining complex, and onroad travel exceeding 140 million vehicle miles per day. Spurred by concerns about air quality and GHG emissions, Houston is preparing to become a PEV giant as well. “We are a car culture in the middle of an oil and gas town,� says Laura Spanjian, director of Houston’s Office of Sustainability. “Promoting PEVs is a more efficient way to reduce emissions than only trying to get people out of their cars.�
Populous Los Angeles, with one of the nation’s highest per-capita car-ownership rates, helped lead the deployment of PEVs in the 1990s and is committed to deploying today’s PEVs. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), a municipal utility, serves the city’s electric needs. Permitting in the utility’s service area is performed entirely by the city’s Department of Building and Safety. Both of these factors facilitate PEV and charging-station deployment.
case_studies.
Oregon To meet its ambitious greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals, Oregon must slash vehicular GHG emissions. The state identified PEVs as a way to achieve this goal, because they draw on the state’s clean electricity: More than half comes from hydropower, and a renewable portfolio standard is requiring utilities to add even more clean electricity sources. Oregon’s PEV preparations have led to pro-PEV legislation and partnerships among more than 60 state agencies, local governments, utilities, and private organizations. A Public Utility Commission docket is investigating the role of utilities in PEV deployment. Oregon is participating in the EV Project, which will deploy more than 2,000 residential and public charging stations in the state during 2010 and 2011. Oregon also received support for fast-charging stations from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s TIGER II grant program and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) via the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) State Energy Program.
Houston brought together numerous public and private partners to establish
LADWP is upgrading and adding public charging stations, using discounted electric rates to promote off-peak PEV
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charging, and subsidizing residential charging stations for customers who agree to have their charging data collected. Los Angeles is also negotiating installation of residential and public charging stations as part of ChargePoint America and the EV Project. Charging-equipment provider EV Connect and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority are collaborating to analyze the integration of PEVs and charging infrastructure with a public transit network. LADWP also initiated the Southern California Regional Plug-In Electric Vehicle Plan to foster collaboration among stakeholders and establish regional PEV charging infrastructure. “We want to bring in the region’s other cities, utilities, and businesses so our efforts have a larger impact,� says LADWP Environmental Specialist Adrene Briones.
Raleigh Fast-growing, high-tech Raleigh—and the surrounding Research Triangle Region—became PEV leaders by joining Project Get Ready in 2009. One of the first steps was assembling a diverse
A Ford Escape PEV operated by Progress Energy, Raleigh’s utility. Photo from Mike Waters, Progress Energy/PIX 18527
team of stakeholders to overcome barriers to PEV deployment, educate consumers about PEVs, establish charging infrastructure, and explore PEV-related economic-development opportunities. “It’s about helping all members of a community understand, plan for, and implement electrified transportation initiatives,� says Jeff Barghout, Director of Transportation Initiatives for Advanced Energy, a
Raleigh-based nonprofit that is coordinating North Carolina’s Project Get Ready effort. The Triangle Clean Cities Coalition is actively involved as well, helping develop a PEV-readiness roadmap, providing technical support to corporate and government partners, and making PEV information available to targeted stakeholders and the public. see “Plug-In� on p12 >
Residential Charging Station Permitting and Inspection Processes The installation of Level 2 (240V) residential charging stations is vital to widespread PEV deployment. To facilitate standard residential installations, Oregon, Houston, Los Angeles, and Raleigh have developed streamlined permitting and inspection processes. This table contains key facets of each area’s approach.
Permitting
Inspection
Oregon
Houston
Los Angeles
Raleigh
A licensed electrician buys 10 Oregon “Minor Installation Labels� online for $140. Each label can be used to permit one standard installation.
A licensed electrician applies for a permit online for $35. Approval is automatic and instantaneous for standard installations.
A licensed electrician applies for a permit online for $75. Approval is automatic and instantaneous for standard installations.
A licensed electrician or the charging station customer obtains a permit by visiting a city inspection center, requiring about one hour and a $74 fee.
The electrician logs each completed installation, and one in 10 of the electrician’s installations is inspected by the local jurisdiction.
The electrician requests an inspection from the Code Enforcement Group. Inspections are completed the same day for requests received before noon. and within 24 hours for requests after noon.
The electrician requests an inspection from the Department of Building and Safety, which is completed within 24 hours of the request.
The electrician or customer schedules an inspection. If the city receives a call by 4 p.m., the inspection is performed the next day.
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Coalition News South Central Region Colleen Crowninshield Tucson Clean Cities
Tucson Well on Its Way to Go Electric Plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) from major auto manufacturers are just now hitting the market, and southern Arizona is welcoming them with open arms. A determined and enthusiastic group of Tucson Clean Cities (TCC) stake-
holders spent the past year laying the groundwork for the deployment of PEVs. The work kicked off in 2009 with a PEV infrastructure workshop. The event’s 150 attendees included representatives from Tucson Electric Power (the local utility company), PEV manufacturers, charging equipment manufacturers and installers, government planning departments, and other stakeholders. The overarching goal of the workshop was to develop a plan that would thoroughly prepare the Tucson area for the arrival of PEVs. Those early preparations caught the eye of PEV charging equipment developer ECOtality, and in March 2009, TCC signed agreements with Nissan
and ECOtality, making Tucson one of the official launch markets for the Nissan Leaf. Shortly thereafter, Ford selected Tucson as a launch city for its all-electric Focus. Since the kick-off workshop, a growing number of partners and stakeholders has been waging a nonstop, twopronged campaign of education and infrastructure planning. TCC hopes the effort will result in the deployment of 500 PEVs, 250 Level 2 charging stations, and five DC fast chargers within the next two years. So far, all 255 stations have been plotted, and six are already installed. Pima County governcontinued on p9 >
Western Region Richard Cromwell III, Coachella Valley Region Clean Cities
Natural Gas to the Rescue The City of Palm Desert, California, is a long-time proponent of natural gas as a transportation fuel. In 2010, the municipality took this clean-burning alternative fuel to new heights when it unveiled the country’s ďŹ rst natural gas ambulance. Palm Desert and a number of its neighboring communities in the Clean Cities Coachella Valley Region (CCCVR) coalition have been using compressed natural gas (CNG) to power municipal eets and the regional transit agency for more than a decade. So when Palm Desert needed a new ambulance, searching for a CNG option made perfect sense. However, research by CCCVR revealed that U.S. original equipment manufacturers don’t produce CNG ambulances. Undeterred, representatives from CCCVR, Palm Desert, and Riverside County Fire Department were determined to turn the problem into an opportunity by launching a pilot project that would develop and showcase the use of clean fuel in the world of emergency medical services (EMS). Palm Desert purchased an ambulance patient compartment and a Ford E450 gasoline chassis from Houstonbased Frazer Bilt. The city then contracted with BAF, a natural gas vehicle provider owned by Clean Energy, to convert the ambulance to run on CNG. Frazer Bilt worked closely with BAF and Riverside Fire representatives to customize the patient compartment in a way that would accommodate the natural gas engine without compromising any EMS functionality. The vehicle hit the road in January 2010, taking advantage of the Coachella Valley’s existing CNG fueling infrastructure (all three of the region’s hospitals have a CNG station within a reasonable distance).
The City of Palm Desert put the country’s ďŹ rst natural gas ambulance on the road. Photo from Bert Kronmiller
For the past year, the ďŹ re department has been working diligently to keep careful records and determine the best dispatch and fueling protocols for the new ambulance. City officials have closely monitored the project, staying up to date on progress, glitches, and solutions at every step of the way. Thus far, feedback from drivers, EMS personnel, and even patients has been extremely positive, with many commenting on the welcome absence of exhaust fumes. According to the City of Palm Desert, the new ambulance’s particulate emissions are 95% lower than those of a comparable diesel vehicle, and it reduces diesel fuel use by about 1,500 gallons annually. CCCVR and the City of Palm Desert are encouraged by the success of the pilot project and hope it will be replicated in other communities. April 2011
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ment, the Town of Oro Valley, and the University of Arizona are leading the pack, each with a strong commitment to PEV success. Outreach to the general public and major employers is a cornerstone of TCC’s efforts to take transportation electric in Tucson. A steady stream of great media coverage is creating a palpable buzz throughout the area, and TCC takes every opportunity to make presentations to the chamber of commerce, Rotary Clubs, and other community groups. The coalition conducts two or three outreach events each month, appears on the “Mrs. Green Goes Mainstream� radio show every other week, offers community workshops, writes op-ed pieces for area newspapers, and organizes press events around all PEV deployment developments, such as the installation of new charging equipment. Unwavering support from Tucson Electric Power has been key to the impressive momentum behind the deployment of PEV infrastructure. The utility works hand in hand with TCC on everything from broadcasting the alternative fuels message to working out nitty gritty technical details and educating elected officials and community planners. Looking ahead, TCC hopes to expand its PEV work beyond Tucson to the major transportation corridors that lead to Phoenix and San Diego. And the coalition is also eager to share its experiences with other Clean Cities coalitions seeking to deploy PEVs in their own communities.
Share Your News Each issue of Clean Cities Now features Coalition News articles from coordinators representing each region. If you’re interested in writing an article, contact heather.proc@nrel.gov with your story idea. If we choose your idea, we’ll contact you for an interview.
Northeast Region Steve Russell, Massachusetts Clean Cities
Staples and Massachusetts Clean Cities Deliver on Fuel Efficiency Many people know that Staples is a serious competitor in the office-product supply industry. What they may not know is that the company is also a Massachusettes Clean Cities stakeholder leading the way in reducing petroleum consumption. With $24 billion in sales in 2009 and a eet of 2,200 vehicles in the U.S. and Canada, the movement of products is a big part of Staples’ operations. And through its Staples Soul corporate accountability initiative, the company has made a commitment to transporting its goods sustainably. In 2006, Staples North American Fleet Equipment Manager Michael Payette began installing electronic speed control modules in Staples’ medium-duty diesel delivery trucks. At a cost of only $7 per truck, the modules prevent the vehicles from traveling faster than 60 mph, improving their fuel economy from the industry standard 8.1 mpg to 10.1 mpg. Speed control, in combination with electronic idle reduction and driver training programs, has improved overall fuel economy in Staples’ delivery eet by 30%. Today, all of Staples’ trucks are equipped with speed control Staples began introducing electric trucks modules, and the company has into its delivery eet in November 2010. saved a cumulative 2.9 million Photo from Staples gallons of fuel and prevented the emissions of 32,000 tons of carbon dioxide. Staples’ annual conventional fuel savings are approaching 1 million gallons. At the project’s start, some drivers worried the speed controls might get in the way of timely deliveries. But analysis by Staples found that driving time increased by only seven minutes per day. Furthermore, the extra time on the road was offset by less frequent trips to the fuel pump. And research by Staples’ risk management department found no safety issues associated with limiting truck speed. Staples is now working to further improve the fuel efficiency of its eet by incorporating all-electric trucks in high-density urban delivery areas, diesel-electric hybrids in urban delivery areas, lighter composite materials in vehicle body construction, and dynamic routing software. Introduction of 53 all-electric trucks, manufactured by Smith Electric Vehicles, began in November 2010. “Over time, we’ll look to increase the number of these trucks in the Staples eet as an effective way to service our delivery customers while reducing our carbon emissions,â€? Payette says.
Colleen Crowninshield headshot from Colleen Crowninshield. All other coordinator headshots from Melissa Howell.
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Southeast Region Melissa Howell, Commonwealth Clean Cities Partnership
Hybrid Horsepower for Kentucky Schools New hybrid electric school buses are clearing the air in Kentucky with help from the Commonwealth Clean Cities Partnership (CCCP). Thirty-one public Image from Kentucky Clean Fuels Coalition school districts across the state have ordered 101 ThomasBuilt and International hybrid electric school buses, thanks to funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The new bus purchases are part of a project to introduce 213 hybrid school buses throughout the state. In August 2009, the U.S. Department of Energy awarded $13 million to the Kentucky Department of Education to cover the incremental costs of hybrid buses over traditional diesel buses. Once the project is complete, Kentucky will have the largest hybrid electric school bus eet in the nation, translating to signiďŹ cant reductions in petroleum consumption. Manufacturers estimate fuel savings will be as high as 40%, with increases in fuel mileage from 7.5 to 12 miles per gallon, relative to standard diesel buses. Kentucky’s hybrid school bus project will serve as an example for school systems across the country. The Kentucky Clean Fuels Coalition (KCFC), which houses the state’s Clean Cities program, will gather performance data to share with other states, as well as with Kentucky students, who will be active participants in the project. KCFC plans to engage the students with onsite energy teams that can use the information for science and math classes. “The hybrid school bus project not only serves as a means to improve efficiency and be environmentally conscious,â€? Kentucky Education Commissioner Terry Holliday says. “This project will also provide students with learning opportunities across many subject areas. Teachers can develop lesson plans related to fuel consumption, air quality, and transportation costs, bringing real-world knowledge and hands-on experiences into the classroom.â€?
Northwest Region Beth Baird Treasure Valley Clean Cities
Small Idaho County Goes Big in Petroleum Reduction With a population of about 200,000, Canyon County, Idaho, may not be very big. But its recent successes in reducing petroleum use are enormous. About two years ago, Canyon County Fleet Manager Mark Tolman puzzled over a problem shared by countless public officials throughout the country: How would he provide a high level of service to his community in the face of shrinking budgets? Tolman worked with Treasure Valley Clean Cities to develop a strategy that made better use of his existing fleet resources while also embracing new technologies and fuels.He convened a “utilization team� that sought the
input of vehicle drivers in every county department. He also purchased fleetmanagement software that allowed him to better track and scrutinize fuel use, vehicle utilization, idling time, and employee mileage reimbursements. Armed with the new data, Tolman trimmed the county’s fleet from 325 vehicles to its present 220. He developed a new replacement schedule that incorporated E85 and hybrid vehicles into the fleet wherever possible. He started filling tires with nitrogen. And the Fleet Department installed two new 12,000-gallon fuel tanks (one for gasoline, one for ethanol) and a blending dispenser that allows workers to specify the level of ethanol in the fuel they use. Before Tolman’s project began, he knew fuel was being wasted in idling patrol cars in the Sheriff’s Department, but once he had the hard numbers in front of him, “It was just shocking,� he says. Each patrol car was idling for up to five hours per day, using about one gallon of fuel per hour of idle time. Over the past year and a half, Canyon County fleet workers installed idle-
reduction equipment on nearly all of the 65 patrol cars in the sheriff’s department, eliminating 36 “ghost miles� and 100 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions per day for each car. “We’re cutting our fuel use, and we’re doing it safely—everything runs at peak performance. We’re never going to leave our people hanging or compromise their safety,� Tolman says. Today, the Canyon County Fleet Department is eliminating an estimated 1.4 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions every year and improving its vehicles’ fuel economy by 4 mpg to 6 mpg. According to Tolman, the E85 station has already paid for itself. “Using technologies that are already widely available, we realized immediate cost savings to Canyon County,� he says. “We are maintaining a top-notch fleet, trimming our budget with minimal disruptions to ongoing operations, reducing our dependence on foreign oil, shrinking our environmental footprint, and serving as an example for other fleets.�
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Mid-Atlantic and Great Lakes Region Tony Bandiero Greater Philadelphia Clean Cities
Pennsylvania’s Ethanol Corridor Project Surpasses 1 Million Gallons Greater Philadelphia Clean Cities (GPCC) reached a major milestone in alternative fuel deployment: In 2010, the coalition’s ethanol project dispensed its millionth gallon of E85. In 2006, GPCC set out to create an E85 corridor running from State College to Philadelphia. The project gained speed in the last year-and-a-half, with the number of public E85 stations along the route expanding from eight to 19. Funding for the project came from a state Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant (AFIG) and a project award from the U.S. Department of Energy. GPCC and its stakeholders used these funds to support the installation of E85 dispensers at gasoline stations and to educate the public. Outreach efforts included teaching consumers how use a vehicle identification number to determine E85 compatibility. GPCC engaged both large multistation retail fuel companies, such as AMERIgreen, Shipley Energy, and Sheetz, and small businesses like Dileo’s Auto Service just outside of Philadelphia. “What a fantastic day for Pennsylvania,� says AMERIgreen’s Seth Obetz “A few years ago, this fuel was only known in the Midwest. In the interest of our national security, we need every available domestically produced fuel to help lessen our dependence on imported foreign petroleum.� GPCC expects more stations will add their names to the list. When gas prices rise, so does the interest in ethanol, and the advent of the E85 corridor makes it a little easier for Pennsylvanians and people traveling through the state to use it.
Ask the Technical Response Service Do you have questions about alternative fuels, fuel economy measures, or advanced vehicles? The Clean Cities Technical Response Service (TRS) will help you ďŹ nd answers. For more information about the topics in this column or anything in the Clean Cities portfolio, e-mail technicalresponse@icďŹ .com, or call 800-254-6735.
Q: Will fuel economy labels look different with the introduction of new electric-drive vehicles?
A: In September 2010, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) released a proposed rule to change the fuel economy labels that appear on the windows of new vehicles being offered for sale. The goal of this label is to provide consumers with simple, straightforward comparisons across all vehicle types, including all-electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). In addition to fuel economy, the proposed labels for all vehicles include estimated greenhouse gas emissions (in grams of CO2 per mile) and a fuel economy comparison with similar vehicle models. The proposed labels for EVs and PHEVs include driving range (miles between fueling/recharging), fuel economy in different operating modes (such as all-electric), and energy consumption (in miles per gallon equivalent).
Examples of EV and PHEV fuel economy labels included in the proposed rule. Illustrations from EPA
The proposed changes to fuel economy labels are set to take effect starting with model year 2012 vehicles. EPA is working with EV and PHEV manufacturers to develop labels under EPA’s current regulations to use in the meantime. Refer to FuelEconomy.gov for fuel economy ratings and a link to the proposed rule.
Q: Now that EPA has granted a waiver for the use of E15 in newer vehicles, when will the fuel be available at the pump?
A: The waiver hinges on two conditions: (1) mitigating the potential for misfueling vehicles, engines, and equipment for which E15 is not approved and (2) ensuring fuel quality. EPA proposed a regulatory program to address potential misfueling concerns that would require E15 dispenser labeling, product transfer documents, and retail fueling stations surveys. Ethanol and the resulting E15 must also meet fuel quality standards speciďŹ ed within state regulations. Additionally, updates and revisions to existing regulations and laws are necessary, including underground storage tank compatibility requirements and state laws that currently limit the sale of E15. Considering these complexities, the exact timeline for E15’s entry into the marketplace is unclear and is likely to vary among regions. For more information, see the Technology Bulletin at www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/ technology_bulletin_1210.html. For more information about alternative energy or energy efficiency, you can also contact the EERE Info Center at 1-877-337-3463 or www.eere.energy.gov/ informationcenter.
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Resources Clean Cities provides online tools and print resources for coordinators and stakeholders. Find all of these new documents and updated resources at www.afdc.energy.gov.
New Documents Ä‘ĆŤ Biodiesel Basics: This handy two-page fact sheet www.afdc. energy.gov/afdc/pdfs/47504.pdf provides quick answers to questions about biodiesel and points readers to sources of more in-depth information about using this alternative fuel.
Online Resources Ä‘ĆŤ National Parks Initiative Web Page: Visit the Clean Cities National Parks Initiative page (www.eere.energy.gov/cleancities/ national_parks.html) to ďŹ nd out how Clean Cities and the National Park Service are working together to improve air quality and reduce petroleum use in some of America’s most special places.
2011 Clean Cities Light-Duty Vehicle Buyer’s Guide: c/ The annual guide (www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/ pdfs/49488.pdf) includes vehicle-speciďŹ c information about fuel economy, emissions, vehicle speciďŹ cations, and cost for the dozens of alternative fuel and advanced vehicles on the market this year.
> “Plug-In� from p7
“It’s important for a coalition to identify key players early on and get them involved,� says Coordinator Kathy Boyer. “Then you need to stay current with PEV issues in your area, like permitting and installation procedures, so you can get the right information to the people who need it—the PEV landscape changes quickly.�
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Raleigh is anticipating the arrival of PEVs in 2011. The City will operate up to 25 free public charging stations by mid 2011 (purchased with ARRA support). Other stakeholders are installing and collecting data from hundreds of additional stations throughout the Research Triangle Region. As a reflection of its efforts, Raleigh secured a highprofile PEV conference, set to take place in July 2011.
National Plug-in Vehicle Programs ChargePoint America, EV Project, Project Get Ready
The City of Raleigh is installing PEV charging stations for free public use. Photo from Kathy Boyer, Triangle Clean Cities
Oregon, Houston, Los Angeles, and Raleigh each participate in at least one of three prominent national PEV initiatives. Coulomb Technologies’ ChargePoint America program (www.chargepointamerica.com) is deploying and collecting data from nearly 5,000 residential and public PEV charging stations in nine regions. ECOtality’s EV Project (www.theevproject.com) is deploying and collecting data from about 15,000 residential and public PEV charging stations in 16 major cities. The goals of these projects, which are supported by ARRA through DOE, are to analyze the ďŹ rst wave of PEVs and stations and facilitate the transition to nationwide deployment. The Rocky Mountain Institute’s Project Get Ready (www.projectgetready.org) is connecting the PEV-readiness efforts of its partner cities. SpeciďŹ c activities include creating a “menuâ€? of PEV-readiness actions, helping cities create PEV coalitions, sharing lessons learned and best practices, documenting progress in PEV readiness, and providing educational materials.
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EERE Information Center 1-877-EERE-INFO (1-877-337-3463) www.eere.energy.gov/informationcenter Printed with a renewable-source ink on paper containing at least 50% wastepaper, including 10% post consumer waste.
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