South Coast Air Quality Management District

Amend Contract to Co-Sponsor the Evaluation of Impacts and Benefits of Hybrid Electric Vehicles

SYNOPSIS:

The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) has assembled a working group to compare the impacts and benefits of various hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) options. The scope of work includes evaluation of HEV architecture, performance, modeling, and impacts; costs; customer preference; and commercialization issues. AQMD provided $250,000 to support this analysis which focused on a mid-size vehicle platform, although additional data was collected regarding a small car and an SUV platform. Additional funding and time is needed to complete the data analysis. Staff recommends AQMD co-funding of $50,000 to share the total project cost increase of $140,000. Clean Fuel funds are available and identified in the Technology Advancement Plan updated March 2000 in category M5-5.

COMMITTEE:

Technology, January 26, 2001, Recommended for Approval

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Authorize the Chairman to amend a contract with Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) for the evaluation of impacts and benefits of hybrid electric vehicles in an amount not to exceed $50,000 from the Clean Fuels Fund.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer

Background

Typically, an HEV is an electric car that also has a small internal-combustion engine and an electric generator onboard to charge the batteries and thus extend vehicle range. Several automobile manufacturers are introducing hybrid vehicles, with others anticipated to follow. These early HEVs vary in vehicle platforms, size of engines, electric motors and battery types, and operational control algorithms to name a few. How these various components are sized, packaged, and controlled will substantially impact the air quality benefits they are likely to provide.

AQMD provided $250,000 to share the total cost of $1.2 million for this project with ARB and EPRI members. Preliminary evaluation of various HEV architectures was narrowed to collect and analyze data needed to compare two parallel "plug-in" HEV designs with 20 miles and 60 miles of all electric range with a gasoline-fueled HEV design and a gasoline-fueled conventional vehicle. The draft final report focusing on a mid-size vehicle platform is currently under review by the working group members and includes evaluation of the following areas: 1) HEV architecture, performance, modeling; and impacts; 2) costs; 3) customer preference; and 4) commercialization issues.

Proposal

Additional funding and time is needed to analyze data collected regarding a small car and an SUV platform, according to the same evaluation protocol established for the mid-size vehicle platform. Analysis for small car and SUV platforms was not required in the original AQMD contract with EPRI, nor was it specified in the AQMD Board agenda item.

Benefits to AQMD

This additional analysis will result in broader information regarding small cars and SUVs, with additional value to policymakers and manufacturers, which will help expedite introduction of additional near-zero emitting vehicles in the South Coast Basin. Sufficient funding for the proposed amendment is included in the March 2000 update of the Technology Advancement Plan under Project 2000M5-5, "Evaluation of Light-Duty Hybrid Electric Vehicle Systems."

Sole Source Justification

Section VIII.B.2. of the Procurement Policy and Procedure identifies four major provisions under which a sole source award may be justified. This request for a sole source award is made under provision B.2.d.: Other circumstances exist which in the determination of the Executive Officer require such waiver in the best interest of the AQMD. Specifically, these circumstances are B.2.d.(1): Project involving cost sharing by multiple sponsors.

EPRI arranged cost sharing for this project in the amount of $90,000, and has a long history of managing and supporting similar projects involving development and commercialization of new technologies. The working group brought together by EPRI for this project has significant experience in vehicle development, modeling, assessment of test cycles, evaluation of emissions and performance, and commercialization of new technologies. The participants of the working group are comprised of private and public stakeholders including General Motors, Department of Energy through their Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) and National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), University of California, Davis, New York Power Authority, Southern California Edison, EPRI, ARB, and AQMD. Each entity brings a wealth of knowledge and experience directly related to the development, assessment, and commercialization of HEVs both from regulatory and commercialization standpoints. In addition, the AQMD’s contribution to this amendment is leveraged at a ratio of 1 to 1.8.

Resource Impacts

The total cost for this project is approximately $140,000. The amount of additional AQMD funding shall not exceed $50,000.

Sufficient funds are available from the Clean Fuels Fund, established as a special revenue fund resulting from the state-mandated Clean Fuels Program. The Clean Fuels Program, under Health and Safety Code Sections 40448.5 and 40512 and Vehicle Code Section 9250.11, establishes mechanisms to collect revenues from mobile sources to support projects to increase the utilization of clean fuels, including the development of the necessary advanced enabling technologies. Funds collected from motor vehicles are restricted, by statute, to be used for projects and program activities related to mobile sources that support the objectives of the Clean Fuels Program.

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