Transportation
Transformational Trucks: Determining the Energy Efficiency Limits of a Class-8 Tractor Trailer
Feasible technological improvements in vehicle efficiency, combined with “long combination vehicles” (which raise productivity by connecting multiple trailers), can potentially raise the ton-mile efficiency of long-haul heavy tractor-trailers by a factor ~2.5 with respect to a baseline of 130 ton-miles/gal. Within existing technological and logistical constraints, these innovations (which do…
Triple Safety: Lightweighting Automobiles to Improve Occupant, Highway, and Global Safety
Automobilesʼ negative impact on human health and welfare includes traffic-related deaths and injuries as well as the deaths and injuries caused by automobilesʼ contribution to climate change and other global environmental degradation. This paper explores solutions that both enhance vehicle performance and reduce environmental impacts, and focuses on demonstrating the…
Feebates: a Legislative Option to Encourage Continuous Improvements to Automobile Efficiency
A feebate is an incentive policy that encourages the continuous improvement to automobile fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions by providing incentives for manufacturers to build more efficient vehicles and rewarding consumers who purchase more efficient vehicles. The feebate concept is simple in concept: inefficient vehicles receive a surcharge (FEE-),…
Ultralight Vehicles: Non-Linear Correlations Between Weight and Safety
Development of dramatically lightweight and fuel-efficient vehicles has been slowed by perceptions that lighter vehicles are less safe. Highly safe lightweight vehicles may seem counterintuitive. Yet, size need not determine the weight of a vehicle and vehicle safety is primarily a function of design. RMI virtually modeled an ultralight concept…
Smart Garage Charrette Preread Core
The Smart Garage Charrette Preread Core gives the most important background on the Smart Garage vision (united vehicles, the grid, and buildings through vehicle electrification), technologies, modeling, and market analysis, including hot topics as of October 2008.