Hybrid-Electric Vehicles and Electric Transportation

Approved by the IEEE-USA
Board of Directors (June 2003)

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers United States of America (IEEE-USA) believes that the nation can achieve great benefits by the increased use of hybrid-electric vehicles and electric transportation systems in place of gasoline and diesel powered automobiles, buses and trucks. With the more widespread use of vehicles and systems that utilize generated energy and efficient electric drive propulsion, there can be significant reductions in transportation fuel consumption and emissions. Furthermore, increased use of electric and hybrid electric transportation can contribute to our nation's energy security.

To speed up and encourage the development and acceptance of these vehicles, IEEE-USA supports the following actions:

1. Continued research and development on components for electric and hybrid-electric vehicles and into expanded applications of these vehicles.
2. Increased purchases of electric and hybrid-electric vehicles by divisions of the federal government through new policy and enforcement of current requirements.
3. Encouragement for the building of infrastructure, including charging stations and the electrification of transit routes.
4. Identification of technology and policy barriers.
5. Promotion of increased domestic manufacturing capability for electric and hybrid-electric vehicles.
6. Public policy that reflects both the value of electric drives and the critical importance of the transportation sector to a strong and secure U.S. economy.

This statement was developed by the Energy Policy Committee of The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers-United States of America (IEEE-USA) and represents the considered judgment of a group of U.S. IEEE members with expertise in the subject field. IEEE-USA is an organizational unit of The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc., created in 1973 to advance the public good, while promoting the careers and public-policy interests of the more than 235,000 electrical, electronics, computer and software engineers who are U.S. members of the IEEE.

BACKGROUND

Electric vehicles and hybrid-electric vehicles are vehicles that obtain all or part of their propulsive force from electric motors. These vehicles can be divided into the following broad groups.

1. All-electric vehicles: Many all-electric vehicles draw power from stationary wires, including electric trains, subways, and trolleys. Other all-electric vehicles draw power from on-board batteries or capacitors. Examples of these vehicles include battery-powered automobiles, lift-trucks, golf carts, boats, and wheelchairs.
2. All-electric drive hybrid-electric vehicles: Hybrid-electric vehicles are electric vehicles that also carry an electric generator. The most traditional hybrid-electric vehicles are diesel-electric trains. Hybrid-electric trucks, buses, and automobiles have also been developed. Diesel engines, gasoline engines, fuel cells, and solar cells have all been used as on-board sources of electric power. These vehicles may include batteries or another energy storage system, and additional energy can be added to the storage system when the vehicle is connected to a stationary source of electric power. An all-electric drive hybrid-electric vehicle with sufficient energy storage can also operate as an all-electric vehicle when the generator is turned off.
3. Electric-assist hybrid-electric vehicles: Electric-assist vehicles have an electric motor to supplement power to another propulsive source when needed. Examples include electric-assist automobiles and bicycles.

Advantages of Electric and Hybrid-Electric Transportation

There are several economic and environmental advantages in using electric and hybrid-electric transportation. The most important of these are as follows:

1. Transportation is critically important to U.S. energy supply and security concerns as it accounts for nearly 2/3 of all U.S. oil consumption and is almost 97% dependent on petroleum-based fuels. Petroleum consumption reduction is critical to global sustainability and long-term energy security.
2. Electric and hybrid-electric transportation uses less fuel for a given amount of service than other vehicles with the same capabilities. In addition, these vehicles use all fuel sources more efficiently than non-hybrid combustion vehicles. This technology represents a significant improvement over a conventional internal combustion engine and greatly reduces U.S. dependency on oil imports.
3. Electric vehicles and hybrid-electric vehicles cause less air pollution for a given amount of service than other vehicles with the same capabilities. Electric vehicles and hybrid-electric vehicles operate more cleanly than other comparable vehicles as they age, and the catalysts in hybrid-electric vehicles' exhaust systems deteriorate more slowly. Significant penetration of electric drives into the mass vehicle market can lead to improved air quality and better public health.
4. Electric and hybrid-electric vehicles and electric transportation systems have the potential to be a major export, and the United States should establish and maintain a major market share. As the standard of living improves in developing countries, there is an increased demand for vehicles of all types. Environmental concerns will make the higher efficiency and reduced emissions of electric and hybrid-electric transportation essential in these countries.
5. Research on electric and hybrid-electric transportation has had a cascading effect in other areas of motive and electronic componentry and has sped development of newer more innovative products.

The generators in hybrid-electric vehicles can also be used as emergency electric generators. The availability of thousands of mobile distributed generation systems could mean improved power reliability, emergency back up power for homes and businesses and a potential source to reduce peak demands.

These advantages, combined with advances in battery, motor, and material technologies in recent years, have led to a large expansion of development work on electric vehicles. However, market acceptance has been relatively slow, due in part to the historical practices of producers, retailers, and buyers and the slow rate of fleet turnover.

Conclusions

It is the opinion of IEEE-USA that the advantages of faster replacement of traditional gasoline and diesel vehicles by electric and hybrid electric vehicles justify expanded government actions. These actions should include:

1. Increased purchases of electric and hybrid-electric vehicles by divisions of the federal government. In September 2002 the United States Postal Service rolled out nearly 400 all-electric postal vehicles for use in the Los Angeles area. These vehicles were added to over 500 electric vehicles already in use by the postal service (reference: Presentation by Marguerite Downey, Clean Air Program Manager, United States Postal Service, at the National Clean Cities Conference, March 12, 2002, available at http://www.ccities.doe.gov/pdfs/downey_02.pdf). IEEE-USA applauds the purchase of these vehicles, and encourages similar purchases by other government entities.
2. Support for the building of infrastructure, including charging stations and the electrification of transit routes. Public charging stations can be provided in shopping mall parking lots, coupled with curbside parking meters, or located at other public locations. The upgrading of public transportation through electrification should be encouraged through an increase in the federal transportation funds available for this purpose.
3. Promotion of an increased domestic manufacturing capability for electric and hybrid-electric vehicles.
4. Continued research and development into components for electric and hybrid electric vehicles, and into expanded applications of these vehicles. Improvements to the technologies for batteries, fuel cells, flywheels, motors, and lightweight materials will improve the capabilities and reduce the costs of electric and hybrid-electric vehicles, leading to greater market acceptance. Expanded applications for these vehicles include emergency vehicles for life support and for providing power after natural disasters, and military vehicles for austere environments.

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.--United States of America
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Phone: 202-785-0017, Fax: 202-785-0835.

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Last Update:  23 June 2003
Staff Contact: Bill Williams, bill.williams@ieee.org