Analysis of alternate-fueled passenger vehicles: a sample technology assessment

Technical Report · Thu Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1981

OSTI ID:6071944

Peaslee, Jr, A T; Thayer, G R

Ten passenger vehicles powered by the following were characterized on a common engineering and economic basis: gasoline internal combustion, diesel internal combustion, liquid-hydrogen internal combustion, liquid-hydrogen fuel cell, hydrogen internal combustion, hydrogen fuel cell, methanol internal combustion, methanol fuel cell, Ni/Zn battery, and Pb/Acid battery. Levelized life cycle costs were computed for each vehicle. The market penetration of the nongasoline vehicles was studied over a 50-yr. period using a generalized equilibrium energy economic model. Results indicate that only the methanol internal-combustion vehicle using methanol produced from coal is a viable alternative to the gasoline internal-combustion vehicle. The market penetration of alternate vehicles was enhanced more by reduction in acquisition costs than by comparable improvements in engineering parameters.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 6071944
• Report Number(s): LA-9068-MS; ON: DE82004190
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
300504 -- Fuel Cells-- Applications
33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
330300* -- Advanced Propulsion Systems-- Electric-Powered Systems
330800 -- Emission Control-- Alternative Fuels
ALCOHOLS
AUTOMOBILES
AUTOMOTIVE FUELS
DIESEL FUELS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ECONOMICS
ELECTRIC BATTERIES
ELECTRIC-POWERED VEHICLES
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ENGINES
FUEL CELLS
FUELS
GASOLINE
HEAT ENGINES
HYDROGEN FUELS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES
LEAD-ACID BATTERIES
LIQUID FUELS
MARKET
METAL-METAL OXIDE BATTERIES
METHANOL
NICKEL-ZINC BATTERIES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
SYNTHETIC FUELS
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
VEHICLES