Government and industry are faced with the enormous challenge of cost-effectively meeting the nation's growing demand for transportation services while, at the same time, minimizing adverse energy and environmental impacts. Recognizing this challenge, Congress has passed several key pieces of legislation impacting the transportation sector: the Energy Policy Act of 1992, the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, the Alternative Motor Fuels Act of 1988, and so forth. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is responding to these legislative mandates and pressing national priorities with a broad range of policy actions and new (and continuing) research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) activities supported by its Office of Transportation Technologies. DOE is working closely with domestic industrial partners to explore advanced propulsion technologies (heat engine/electric/hybrid/fuel cell), materials, and alternative fuels and to accelerate commercialization of the most promising technologies by addressing critical technology and infrastructure needs. These advanced technologies have the potential to displace petroleum fuels, reduce emissions, and substantially improve the efficiency and fuel flexibility of highway vehicles. This paper provides an overview of the DOE effort in Transportation Technologies. (A)
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