Substantially improving vehicle efficiency has the potential to increase the United States’ energy security and support economic health. On-road vehicles account for nearly 60% of total U.S. oil consumption.
The Transportation Technologies Office supports research to greatly improve the fuel efficiency of both light and heavy-duty vehicles—including internal combustion, alternative fuel, and plug-in electric vehicles—while reducing air pollutants. These technologies have the potential to save consumers and businesses trillions of dollars. TTO also supports FuelEconomy.gov, which provides consumers with the fuel economy information of all vehicles back to 1984, as well as tips to help drivers save money and fuel.
TTO supports work in the following areas:
- Combustion engine research focuses on improving new combustion strategies that can greatly improve engine efficiency and minimize the emissions formation in the engine itself.
- Emissions reduction research focuses on reducing the cost and improving the efficiency of aftertreatment technologies that reduce exhaust emissions.
- Fuel effects research focuses on better understanding how fuels from new sources can affect advanced combustion systems.
- Idling reduction work focuses on minimizing unnecessary idling from vehicles.
- Lightweighting research focuses on lowering the cost and improving the performance of lightweight materials like high-strength steel, aluminum, magnesium, and carbon fiber.
- Aerodynamics and other parasitic loss research focuses on reducing the energy lost to non-engine sources such as drag, braking, rolling resistance, and auxiliary loads like air conditioning.
TTO carries out this research in partnership with industry through U.S. DRIVE for light-duty vehicles and 21st Century Truck Partnership for heavy-duty vehicles. In addition, it works closely with the U.S. Department of Energy's national laboratories, which offer a number of unique computing resources and research facilities. TTO selects research and development projects through a competitive solicitation process and offers funding opportunities throughout the year.