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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 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.