PNGV: Progress and Challenges Ahead
15 April 1998
Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles Concurs With Independent Panel's Key Findings on Progress and Challenges Ahead
DETROIT and WASHINGTON, April 15 -- The Partnership for a New
Generation of Vehicles agrees with the key findings of the National Research
Council's fourth annual independent review of the program released today. The
Peer Review found that PNGV is making steady progress toward meeting its goals
and recognized both PNGV's significant achievements in the past year and the
major challenges still ahead.
Among the findings of this year's review:
* Good progress has been made in assessing the potential of each
candidate system and identifying critical technologies necessary to making
each system viable:
-- "Excellent progress has been made in the past year in all aspects of
the four-stroke direct injection (4SDI) program ..."
-- "Significant accomplishments and excellent progress has been made on
fuel cells."
-- "Considerable progress has been made in the development of full-size
cells of lithium-ion batteries and of nickel metal hydride batteries ...."
-- "Considerable progress has been made in organizing and
coordinating its efforts [in the area of power electronics and
electrical systems] ..."
-- The Partnership has "made a thorough evaluation of the lightweight
candidate materials ..."
* Advances in engines are closely linked to fuels. The Partnership
recognizes that the integration of new fuels and new power sources -- such as
fuel cells or 4SDI engines -- is an important element of the PNGV research
portfolio, and will, in the coming months, be working to ensure an ongoing
productive dialogue with the fuels industry to achieve the most workable and
affordable solutions for the next generation transportation systems.
* "The PNGV has reached its milestone for the initial technology
selection process on schedule, and the USCAR partners can now continue with
the design and construction of their year 2000 concept vehicles. The
committee notes and commends this progress, which is an important step toward
meeting the demanding PNGV goals and schedule."
The Partnership agrees with the National Research Council (NRC) report's
conclusions that, for a number of the PNGV technologies, "meeting the PNGV
cost goals within the PNGV time frame will be an enormous challenge," and that
reducing the cost of these technologies is one of the most significant
technical challenges still ahead for PNGV. Affordability has always been an
explicit criterion of PNGV. The Partnership expects American consumers will
buy these vehicles only if they cost no more to own and operate than today's
models. Because U.S. gasoline prices are among the lowest in the world, few
consumers are willing to pay more for advanced technologies even if they
provide greatly increased fuel economy.
The Partnership also agrees with the report's recommendations that beyond
the PNGV time frame, "the government should significantly expand its support
for the development of long-term PNGV technologies that have the potential to
improve fuel economy, lower emissions, and be commercially viable" and "the
government should take the lead in developing high-risk, long-term
technologies for vehicles with low fuel consumption and emissions" -- a point
emphasized by the Partnership when the results of the technology selection
process were announced in January 1998. The research and commercial
applications resulting from the ambitious PNGV timeframe are stepping stones
to the next technological breakthroughs that could yield even greater benefits
for the nation's energy security, environment and economic well-being.
While advanced diesel engines have shown significant potential in achieving
PNGV's fuel efficiency goals, the Partnership agrees with the report's
recommendations that PNGV continues to assess development of gasoline direct-
injection engines in light of recent advancements.
At its inception in 1993, PNGV established the need for an external review
process to assess its technical focus and research progress, and contracted
with the NRC to perform an independent annual review. The NRC is the
principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the
National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the
public and the scientific and engineering communities.
PNGV is a historic partnership between the federal government and the U.S.
auto industry (Chrysler Corp., Ford Motor Co., and General Motors Corp., under
their U.S. Council for Automotive Research umbrella organization) to develop a
new generation of vehicles with very low emissions and up to three times the
fuel efficiency of conventional cars without compromising performance,
affordability, safety or utility. The federal partners include the
Departments of Commerce, Energy and Transportation along with the
Environmental Protection Agency, National Science Foundation and 19 national
laboratories.
The Partnership also coordinates its research with the Department of
Defense and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The backbone
of the Partnership -- created to enhance America's energy security,
environment and economy -- is a coordinated portfolio of hundreds of research
projects underway at government, auto company, supplier and university
research facilities.
The annual review process conducted by the National Research Council is an
essential tool for assessing the technical progress of PNGV. Recommendations
from the NRC's first three reports have prompted improvements in the PNGV
program. The Partnership's actions to meet NRC concerns are recognized in the
report: " ... the committee believes the PNGV has been responsive to many of
the recommendations for the technology development areas and systems
analysis." As with past Peer Reviews, PNGV will closely study this year's
report with an eye toward further improving the program.
SOURCE Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles
