Assessment of Vehicle Deployment and Fueling Infrastructure Needs to Support the Commercialization of Electric- Drive Vehicles in California

Status

Complete

Project Timeline

July 1, 2009 - June 30, 2015

Principal Investigator

Department(s)

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Project Summary

The
objective
of
this
research
program
is
to
conduct
research
and
provide
technology
and
policy
advice and
recommendations
for
the
state
of
California
in
the
critical
area
of
how
best
to
develop
the
critical electric
and
hydrogen
vehicle
deployment
strategies
and
infrastructure
for
next‐generation
advanced technology
vehicles.
This
includes
both
electricity
and
hydrogen
fuel
vehicles,
in
accordance
with recently
developed
codes
and
standards
and
automaker
plans
for
vehicle
introduction
in
the
2010‐2015 timeframe. 

This
project
will
consist
of
two
distinct
but
complementary
research
efforts
to
explore
the
critical infrastructure
needed
in
California
to
support
the
introduction
of
electric‐drive
and
hydrogen
powered vehicles.
These
along
with
biofuel
and
compressed
natural
gas
vehicles
are
considered
the
leading options
to
reduce
greenhouse
gases
and
alleviate
oil
dependency
in
the
transportation
sector
in
the near‐mid
term
‐‐
a
critical
and
growing
need
with
the
steady
increase
in
motor
vehicle
use
in
California and
around
the
globe.
The
project
will
consider:
1)
delineation
of
electric
and
hydrogen
vehicle deployment
strategies,
2)
the
latest
technology
developments
with
fueling
infrastructure
and
how
best to
deploy
that
infrastructure
in
conjunction
with
the
latest
developments
in
battery‐electric,
plug‐in hybrid,
and
fuel
cell
vehicle
technology;
3)
how
early
feedback
from
“real
world”
driver
behavior
and perception
studies
can
be
used
to
inform
the
development
of
these
next‐generation
refueling infrastructures;
and
4)
utility
electrical
grid
and
other
fueling
infrastructure
(e.g.,
natural
gas)
impacts
of electric‐drive
vehicle
deployment.