Advanced Vehicles & Fuels

Evaluating smart charging strategies using real-world data from optimized plugin electric vehicles

Sierra I. Spencer, Zhe Fu, Elpiniki Apostolaki-Iosifidou, Timothy E. Lipman
2021

Management of electric vehicle (EV) charging is likely to be critical in avoiding large increases in peak electricity demand and subsequent build outs of generation and distribution infrastructure. Additionally, management of EV charging can help to more effectively utilize renewable energy resources. This study analyzed charging data from a real-world pilot program, the largest household-based study to date to analyze the effectiveness of different smart charging use cases at reducing charging costs and increasing utilization of renewable energy. The study included six different use cases...

Economic and Environmental Benefits for Electricity Grids from Spatiotemporal Optimization of Electric Vehicle Charging

Soomin Wu, Zhe Fu, Elpiniki Apostolaki-Iosifidou, Timothy E. Lipman
2021

This article addresses the problem of estimating the potential economic and environmental gains for utility grids of shifting the electric-vehicle (EV) charging time and location. The current literature on shifting EV charging loads has been limited by real-world data availability and has typically therefore relied on simulated studies. Collaborating with a large automobile company and a major utility grid operator in California, this research used actual EV operational data and grid-operation data including locational marginal prices, marginal-grid-emission-rate data, and renewable-...

Advanced materials supply considerations for electric vehicle applications

Timothy E. Lipman, Petra Maier
2022

Electric vehicles are now proliferating based on technologies and components that in turn rely on the use of strategic materials and mineral resources. This review article discusses critical materials considerations for electric drive vehicles, focusing on the underlying component technologies and materials. These mainly include materials for advanced batteries, motors and electronics, lightweight structures, and other components specific to each vehicle type. Particularly strategic and widely used minerals and elements/structures for electric vehicles include nickel, cobalt, rare-...

“Recent Deployment and Capacity Trends for Stationary Fuel Cell Systems in the U.S.” in Data, Facts and Figures on Fuel Cells

Max Wei
Shuk Han Chan
Ahmad Mayyas
Timothy Lipman, PhD
2014

This ready reference is unique in collating in one scientifically precise and comprehensive handbook the widespread data on what is feasible and realistic in modern fuel cell technology.

Edited by one of the leading scientists in this exciting area, the short, uniformly written chapters provide economic data for cost considerations and a full overview of demonstration data, covering such topics as fuel cells for transportation, fuel provision, codes and standards.

The result is highly reliable facts and figures for engineers, researchers and decision makers working in the...

Optimizing fermentation process miscanthus-to-ethanol biorefinery scale under uncertain conditions

Matthew Bomberg
Daniel Sanchez
Timothy Lipman, PhD
2014

Ethanol produced from cellulosic feedstocks has garnered significant interest for greenhouse gas abatement and energy security promotion. One outstanding question in the development of a mature cellulosic ethanol industry is the optimal scale of biorefining activities. This question is important for companies and entrepreneurs seeking to construct and operate cellulosic ethanol biorefineries as it determines the size of investment needed and the amount of feedstock for which they must contract. The question also has important implications for the nature and location of lifecycle...

Lifecycle cost assessment and carbon dioxide emissions of diesel, natural gas, hybrid electric, fuel cell hybrid and electric transit buses

Antti Lajunen, PhD
Timothy Lipman, PhD
2016

This paper evaluates the lifecycle costs and carbon dioxide emissions of different types of city buses. The simulation models of the different powertrains were developed in the Autonomie vehicle simulation software. The carbon dioxide emissions were calculated both for the bus operation and for the fuel and energy pathways from well to tank. Two different operating environment case scenarios were used for the primary energy sources, which were Finland and California (USA). The fuel and energy pathways were selected appropriately in relation to the operating environment. The lifecycle...

Emerging Technologies for Higher Fuel Economy Automobile Standards

Timothy Lipman, PhD
2017

Transportation systems contribute significantly to air pollution and ∼15% globally and ∼25% in the United States to emissions climate-changing gases. In the United States, the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for motor vehicles were significantly raised in 2012 for the first time in almost three decades. The standards now call for an average across manufacturers of 54.5 miles per gallon (mpg) for new passenger cars by 2025, or 163 grams per mile (g/mi) of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and of 47 mpg (196 g/mi) by 2021. The light truck standards, which include minivans...

Hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle performance and user-response assessment: Results of an extended driver study

Timothy Lipman, PhD
Matthew Elke
Jeffrey Lidicker
2018

This study examined driver acceptance and performance of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles as tested in real-world conditions over a two-year period. The study sample was a volunteer group of “n = 54” drivers who drove the vehicle for a month-long trial period. Each driver took ‘before’ and ‘after’ surveys regarding their driving experience. Drivers drove an average of 1400 miles per month, and either witnessed and/or performed vehicle refueling 3–10 times during their test period.

Key findings from the study include that: 1) 80% of study participant drivers found...

Evaluating the Public Perception of a Feebate Policy in California through the Estimation and Cross-Validation of an Ordinal Regression Model

Elliot Martin, PhD
Susan Shaheen, PhD
Timothy Lipman, PhD
Madonna Camel
2014

Understanding the roots of policy perception can be critical for informing the design and implementation of innovative public policies. Feebates is one such innovative policy and in the context of new vehicles can be designed to offer buyers a rebate for the purchase of low-emission vehicles and a fee for the purchase of high-emission vehicles. Because feebates is a policy that directly impacts the consumer, understanding the dynamics of public perception, support, and opposition is important. This study explores the public perception of a feebate policy within California and evaluates the...