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Energy efficiency technologies for road vehicles

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Abstract

A key message of the Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is that improved energy efficiency is one of society’s most important instruments for combating climate change. This article reviews a range of energy efficiency measures in the transportation sector as discussed in AR4 and assess their potentials for improving fuel efficiency. The primary focus is on light-duty vehicles because they represent the largest portion of world transport energy use and carbon dioxide emissions; freight trucks, a rapidly expanding source of greenhouse emissions, are also discussed. Increasing energy efficiency can be achieved by improving the design and technology used in new vehicles, but vehicle technology is only one component of fleet fuel economy. Measures that create strong incentives for customers to take energy efficiency into consideration when buying and operating their vehicles will be crucial to policy success.

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Notes

  1. These are called Kei-cars in Japan and are the smallest category of vehicles. Their engine size is less than 660 cc and a lower tax rate is applied than for ordinary passenger cars.

  2. Twenty-first Century Truck Technical. Goals. http://www1.eere.energy.gov/vehiclesandfuels/about/partnerships/21centurytruck/21ct_goals.html

  3. http://www.ieahev.org/evs_hevs_count.html

  4. http://www.cleangreencar.co.nz/page/prius-history

  5. http://www.nrel.gov/vehiclesandfuels/fleettest/pdfs/38843.pdf

  6. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2004/10/fedex_hybrid_up.html

  7. McCallen et al., 2004. DOE’s Effort to Reduce Truck Aerodynamic Drag-Joint Experiments and Computations Lead to Smart Design. UCRL-CONF-204819, LLNL. <http://www.llnl.gov/tid/lof/documents/pdf/308799.pdf>

  8. http://www.jhfc.jp/data/seminar_report/04/pdf/06_h17seminar_e.pdf

  9. Sanyo On-line catalog, <http://www.sanyo.co.jp/energy/english/product/lithiumion_2.html>

  10. Yuasa, 2000: Press release 2000.4.20—Development of high capacity Li batteries with Mn type cathode (in Japanese). <http://www.gs-yuasa.com/jp/news/ycj/topick/top20000420.html>

  11. Power System, 2005: Press release 2005.6.27. Development of High Power and High Energy Density Capacitor (in Japanese). <http://www.powersystems.co.jp/pdf/20050627nscreleaser1-1.pdf>

  12. http://www.mlit.go.jp/road/ir/ir-data/data/107.pdf

  13. http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/driveHabits.shtml

  14. EcoDriving USA http://www.ecodrivingusa.com/#/ecodriving-practices/, ACEA http://www.acea.be/index.php/collection/eco_driving_background/, JAMA http://www.jama.or.jp/user/eco_drive/index.html

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Toyota Central R&D Laboratories., Inc., Nagakute, Aichi, 480-1192, Japan

    Shigeki Kobayashi

  2. Argonne National Laboratory, Washington, DC, USA

    Steven Plotkin

  3. Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Suzana Kahn Ribeiro

Authors
  1. Shigeki Kobayashi
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  2. Steven Plotkin
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  3. Suzana Kahn Ribeiro
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Correspondence to Shigeki Kobayashi.

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Kobayashi, S., Plotkin, S. & Ribeiro, S.K. Energy efficiency technologies for road vehicles. Energy Efficiency 2, 125–137 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12053-008-9037-3

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