This paper analyzes the dynamics of U.S. automobile gasoline consumption since 1975. Using background literature on the history of domestic fuel economy and energy policy, I establish a conceptual model that explains historical trends in adoption of increased fuel economy. I then create a system dynamics simulation model to understand the relationship between increased fuel economy standards an...

regulated by the corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards, established during the energy crises of the 1970s. Calls to increase fuel economy are usually met by a fierce debate on the effectiveness of the CAFE standards and their impact on highway safety. A seminal study of the link between CAFE and traffic fatalities was published by R. W. Crandall and J. D. Graham in 1989. They linked h...

Title of dissertation: ESSAYS ON THE ECONOMICS OF AUTOMOBILE FUEL ECONOMY Takahiko Kiso, Doctor of Philosophy, 2013 Dissertation directed by: Professor Kenneth McConnell Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics This dissertation consists of three chapters that analyze issues relating to automobile fuel economy. Chapter 1 discusses automobile fuel economy regulations in the United State...

Increasingly stringent fuel economy standards will reduce per-mile driving costs and may raise vehicle miles traveled, which is referred to as the rebound effect. All previous estimates impose at least one of three behavioral assumptions: (a) fuel economy is uncorrelated with other vehicle attributes; (b) fuel economy is uncorrelated with attributes of other vehicles owned by the household; and...

We develop a numerical model to simulate the impacts of overlapping energy policies on carbon emissions in the U.S. personal transportation sector. Consumers in our model demand fuel based on their underlying demand for miles and choices about car fuel economy; firms supply fuel by blending gasoline with corn, sugarcane, and cellulosic ethanol. We find that the current fuel tax, size-based fuel...

Hybridization of fuel cells with additional batteries or ultracapacitors in a fuel cell vehicle reduces electrical and mechanical stresses on fuel cells and improves the overall drive train efficiency over a standard drive cycle. This paper primarily analyzes hybrid fuel cell vehicles with different drive train arrangements, and compares projected fuel economies of hybrid fuel cell vehicles wit...

Fuel economy standards are the workhorse of U.S. policy to reduce emissions and oil use by the light duty fleet, and are slated to be dramatically tightened over the next decade. This paper elucidates the relationship between fuel economy standards and “feebate” policies that penalize low fuel economy vehicles with a fee and reward high fuel economy vehicles with a rebate. The analytical result...

The critical distinction between the technical potential to improve fuel economy and how much of that technical potential is realized .. Summary The Global Fuel Economy Initiative was launched in early 2009. It set a target of improving the average fuel economy (in litre/100km terms) for the global vehicle light-duty vehicle fleet by at least 50% by 2050 (50by50). In terms of miles per gallon t...

The air-conditioning (A/C) system compressor load can significantly impact the fuel economy and tailpipe emissions of conventional and hybrid electric automobiles. With the increasing emphasis on fuel economy, it is clear that the A/C compressor load needs to be reduced. In order to accomplish this goal, more efficient climate control delivery systems and reduced peak soak temperatures will be ...