Advanced Automotive Technology: Visions of a Super-Efficient Family Car

Annual Fuel Costs for Alternative Vehicles.

(mid-size automobiles in 2015)

Baseline (Taurus) | 33 mpg | $535a

Advanced conventional I 53 mpg I $333

Electric vehicle (EV) (lead acid) | 0.27 kWh/mile | $223

EV (NiMH) 0.17 kWh/mile $137

Series hybrid (lead acid) 65 mpg $272

Proton exchange membrane fuel cell

(methanol) 83 mpg (gasoline equiv) $182

aThe fuel economy values shown are Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) unadjusted

values. Fuel costs are based on the assumption that on-road efficiencies are about 15
percent less. Each vehicle type will have a different adjustment factor, but it is not clear
what those factors should be. For example, EVs will lose less energy from congestion
effects (because they have regenerative braking and no idling losses), but will use
substantially more energy to heat the vehicle--which is not accounted for in the EPA tests,
where accessories are not used.
bOptimized aluminum body, direct injection stratified charged engine.

NOTE: Based on 10,000 miles per year, 7cents/kWh offpeak electricity, 75cents/gallon methanol.

It is assumed that methanol price, including highway taxes, will approximate the energy-

equivalent price of gasoline, for competitive reasons. The imposition of taxes equivalent

to gasoline’s tax burden yields a methanol price net of taxes of about 50cents/gallon, which is

low by today’s standards.

SOURCE: Office of Technology Assessment, based on Energy and Environmental
Analysis, Inc.,“Automotive Technologies To Improve Fuel Economy to 2015,” prepared
for the Office of Technology Assessment, June 1995.