U.S. Automakers Win Praise for Efforts on Energy-Diverse Transportation Solutions

National Research Council Report Confirms Government/Industry R&D Yields Results

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., March 19, 2008; Amid rising gas prices and increased dependence on foreign oil, a report by the National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academies cites the work of U.S. automakers as a beacon of hope to bring about dramatic solutions in personal transportation.

In its report, titled "Review of the Research Program of the FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership," the NRC highlighted the program's strength, progress and "critical role in carving out a sustainable path for the U.S. transportation system."

The report endorses the FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership's focus on development of hydrogen fuel cell-electric vehicles and a hydrogen infrastructure for the longer term, while accelerating improvements in internal combustion engine efficiencies and advances in hybrid-electric and plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle technologies in the near- to midterm.

"The NRC report confirms that our collaborative government/industry R&D is yielding results," said Don Walkowicz, executive director of the United States Council for Automotive Research LLC. "The partnership is advancing the research and development needed to provide sustainable transportation solutions that reduce our dependence on imported oil while minimizing emissions."

"We are pleased that the National Research Council of the National Academies sees the strength of the FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership, recognizes its progress and supports its well-defined path toward energy diversity," added James Issner, Chrysler LLC vice president for Advance Vehicle Engineering.

The NRC report says a major strength of the FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership is that its research is determined by joint industry/government teams, which help it identify both long-range, precompetitive research needs and national societal needs, then set appropriate goals and determine the best ways to achieve them. "Such collaboration is intended to speed the market deployment of radically new systems on a large scale," the report states.

The Partnership's research, development, technology validation and deployment includes work in the following areas: internal combustion engines, using a variety of fuels; fuel cell power systems, hydrogen storage systems, electrochemical energy storage (batteries and other devices), electric propulsion systems, hydrogen production and delivery and materials for lightweight vehicles. Specific research goals to be met in 2010 and 2015 have been established in each of these areas.

Among this year's successes are: a new way to predict how experimental hybrid batteries will perform in real-world driving situations; improvements in fuel cell efficiency and performance; and development of new materials for batteries that will improve energy density.

"While we work with our partners to achieve our goals, we are realizing accomplishments and successes that have both near and long-term benefits for consumers and society," said Gerhard Schmidt, Ford Motor Company vice president for Research and Advanced Engineering. "Our precompetitive learnings provide a solid foundation for the application of new and better technologies in the competitive marketplace, which ultimately benefit consumers and the environment."

The report recommends continued or intensified work in the program's technical areas to address challenges toward realizing hydrogen and fuel cell technology as future transportation solutions. Other recommendations suggest an increased emphasis on developing greater efficiencies for internal combustion engines; accelerated R&D in the area of advanced batteries and energy storage for hybrid-electric and plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles; greater emphasis on hydrogen production and delivery R&D; and increased analysis work to guide the activities of the Partnership.

The NRC report also strongly endorses continued funding and support of the fuel cell learning demonstration program, which has placed more than 70 hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicles on public streets, as "an essential way for the Partnership to learn about the real-world performance of the technologies it is developing."

"The hydrogen technology validation program provides one of the most visible outcomes from the FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership," said Larry Burns, vice president for General Motors Corporation Research & Development and Strategic Planning. "The demonstration program has helped identify some of the critical barriers to bringing hydrogen fuel cell-electric vehicles to the marketplace - including the lack of investment in hydrogen fueling infrastructure. The program clearly demonstrates what can be accomplished when industry and government work together."

Each year, the Partnership publishes its prior year technical accomplishment highlights in an annual report. This year's report highlights 40 accomplishments from among hundreds. The full report may be viewed on the USCAR Web site at http://www.uscar.org/commands/files_download.php?files_id=160

The FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership includes the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), USCAR - whose members are Chrysler, Ford and General Motors; and five major energy companies - BP America, Chevron Corporation., ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil Corporation and Shell Hydrogen (U.S.). In addition, a large number of businesses, suppliers, national laboratories and universities participate in the research.

The NRC's full review of the FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership is available on the National Academies' Web site at http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12113

Founded in 1992, USCAR is the umbrella organization for collaborative research among Chrysler, Ford and General Motors. The goal of USCAR is to further strengthen the technology base of the domestic auto industry through cooperative research and development. The FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership represents a significant part of its research portfolio. For more information, visit http://www.uscar.org/.