PNGV Narrows Focus in National Effort

26 June 1998

PNGV Narrows Focus in National Effort to Develop Advanced, Affordable Automotive Technologies DETROIT AND WASHINGTON, D.C. -- 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:

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.

For media, limited copies of the NRC report, Review of the Research Program of the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles—Fourth Report, can be obtained by calling 202-334-2138. For the general public, copies can be obtained by calling 800-624-6242. Further information about the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles can be found at www.ta.doc.gov/pngv and at www.uscar.org.