PNGV Partners Pleased by National Research Council's Review
30 April 1999
Government, Auto Industry PNGV Partners Pleased by National Research Council's Review of Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV)
DETROIT and WASHINGTON, April 29 -- The Partnership for a New
Generation of Vehicles' government and automotive industry members are pleased
by the key findings of the National Research Council's fifth annual
independent review of the program released today. The review found that PNGV
is making significant progress towards meeting its goals. The report also
recognized both PNGV's significant achievements in the past year and the major
challenges still ahead.
Among the findings of this year's review:
* "In the past year, more progress was made towards meeting PNGV goals
than in previous years of the program."
-- "Partners are making good progress toward meeting their targets ..."
in four-stroke direct injection (4SDI) engine development.
-- "Impressive progress has been made in the past year towards developing
a practical, automotive fuel-cell system."
-- "The development of (electrochemical battery) cells and modules
continues apace, as does abuse and safety testing."
-- "The electrical and electronic systems technical team has made
excellent progress in the last year."
-- "Significant progress was made in the manufacturing processes for
vehicles and specific components_"
* Underscoring the fact that PNGV is a complete, well-focused and well-
managed program, the report states, "The committee believes the near-term and
long-term technologies the PNGV has focused on have the potential to meet the
program's objectives."
* The peer review said it "believes the fuel economy and the high-degree
of technical maturity of the CIDI (compression-ignition direct-injection)
engine warrant continued development, especially in light of the uncertainties
facing fuel-cell technology." This validates a decision made by the
government/industry partnership last spring.
* Throughout its report, the National Research Council highlights the
Partnership's impressive research and development progress despite limited
resources. Noting moderate budget increases for some long-range technologies,
the report states, "increases are far below the level needed to overcome the
serious challenges facing these technologies."
The report concludes that the most difficult technical challenge for
engines will be meeting new standards for nitrogen oxides and particulate
emissions. The Partnership recognizes the importance of a balanced, total
systems technical solution addressing fuel economy, emissions and fuels
formulation. The Partnership plans to increase investment in technologies
needed for efficient, affordable engines and fuel cells capable of very low
emissions as well as continued, cooperative research with the fuels industry
to achieve the most workable and affordable solutions for the next generation
of vehicles.
The Partnership acknowledges the report's assessment that today "costs of
(PNGV) vehicles are projected to be much higher than for conventional
vehicles." The report concludes that PNGV cars can only reach a large market
if they have ownership and operating costs equivalent to today's vehicle
models. Research aimed at reducing the cost of components and integrated
vehicle systems remains central to the PNGV program.
The Partnership also is encouraged by the report's stance that the
government should continue to support the development of long-term, high-risk
advanced automotive technologies which have the potential to improve fuel
economy, lower emissions and be commercially viable after 2004. The first
generation of PNGV vehicles will point the way to the next technological
breakthroughs that could yield even greater benefits for the nation.
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 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 an historic partnership between the Federal government and the
U.S. auto industry (DaimlerChrysler, 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, Transportation and Defense along with the
Environmental Protection Agency, National Science Foundation, National
Aeronautics and Space Administration and 19 federal laboratories.
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 four reports have prompted improvements in the PNGV
program. In fact, the Partnership's actions to meet NRC concerns are
recognized in the report: "The PNGV also responded positively to most of the
committee's recommendations in the fourth report." As with past Peer Reviews,
PNGV will closely study this year's report with an eye toward further
improving the program.