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The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), under its Alternative Fuels for Vehicles Fleet Demonstration Program (AFV-FDP), established a demonstration of light-duty dedicated propane vehicles operated by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP). The fleet of five converted trucks began operation in 1993 with the cooperation of the New York Propane Gas Association, which provided the propane systems, and Texaco Research & Development which funded annual emissions testing. The vehicles accumulated 122,000 kilometers (76,000 miles) of operation on propane during the demonstration. Data were collected on fuel consumption, driveability, acceleration, maintenance, and emissions. This paper reports on the transition to propane fuel operations, the findings of the emissions tests, and the service and support experiences during the demonstration.

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), under its Alternative Fuels for Vehicles Fleet Demonstration Program (AFV-FDP), established a number of light-duty CNG vehicle fleet demonstrations throughout New York State to collect data from CNG vehicle operation. The majority of the vehicles were converted from gasoline operation to bifuel1 operation, though dedicated CNG vehicles (new and converted) were also included. Pickups, vans, station wagons, and sport utility vehicles were all represented. The vehicles were tracked for mileage accumulation and service experience, and emissions were measured using the Federal Test Procedure. The types of CNG fuel system technologies represented were mechanical open-loop (MOL), mechanical closed-loop (MCL), electronic single-point injection closed-loop (ESPCL), and electronic multipoint injection closed-loop (EMPCL).

This project demonstrates the use of M85 as an alternative fuel for vehicle operation. The fleets chosen for this demonstration experienced driving conditions typical for most vehicles, i.e., interstate highways and suburban traffic. Four generations of flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs), the 1986 and 1989 Ford Crown Victoria and the 1991 and 1993 Ford Taurus, were used in individual fleet operation. The demonstration spanned a period of over seven years from 1988 through 1995 and approximately 220 vehicle-years of M85 FFV operational data were collected. These data were analyzed to create a comprehensive knowledge base for fuel economy, emissions, driveability, acceleration, maintenance and wear characteristics of FFVs. A comparison of the overall performance of these vehicles with conventional gasoline vehicles was made. Important experience in the design, construction and maintenance of M85 refueling facilities was obtained over the duration of this project.

Since the early 1980s, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) supported projects to evaluate the benefits of AFVs. These efforts focused on relieving some of the uncertainties surrounding the use of alternative fuels in motor vehicles. In 1989, NYSERDA, under the guidance of the State's Alternative Fuel Vehicle Coordinating Council, greatly expanded the State's exploration of alternative fuels by initiating the Alternative Fuels for Vehicles Fleet Demonstration Program (AFV-FDP). The objective of the AFV-FDP was to place large numbers of AFVs in service in state, municipal and private fleets to provide “real-world” answers to the questions about their benefits. The AFV-FDP was implemented recognizing two possible conflicting needs (1) to act quickly to meet increasingly stringent emission standards, and (2) to resolve uncertainties concerning the air quality benefits achievable using alternative fuels.

Several characteristics of switched reluctance drive (SRD) systems, such as high torque density, high efficiency, fault tolerant operation, and simplicity of construction make them potentially attractive for electric vehicle (EV) traction applications. This paper presents the results of an evaluation of the design and performance aspects of switched reluctance (SR) drive technology, with special emphasis on EV traction. Rotor/ stator design and construction, choice of materials, electronic component selection, and production costs are some of the important design and manufacturing issues analyzed. Performance characteristics such as drive control, torque ripple and noise, fault tolerance, efficiency, torque-speed characteristics, and regeneration are discussed. Several of these design and manufacturing issues are compared with similar issues for drive systems currently used for electric vehicle applications.