The Alliance 50×50 Commission on U.S. Transportation Sector Efficiency recently published a white paper outlining the steps the transportation industry must take to reduce energy use.
The transportation industry relies almost completely on petroleum fuels and comprises 28 percent of the energy used in the United States. Light duty utility vehicles comprise 60 percent of the industry’s energy use.
“The commission’s goal is intentionally broad and flexible, allowing consideration of all technologies,” the white paper said. “For this reason, there is no one path to achieve the goal. Based on in-house analysis and a thorough literature review, the alliance concludes that achieving the 50×50 goal will require many, if not all, of the following elements.”
These elements include greater exploration of system-wide efficiency opportunities, the aggressive hybridization of freight vehicle classes, the deployment of alternative fuels coupled with a nationwide network of charging stations, fast tracking the deployment of hybrid electric vehicles as the engine of choice for new vehicles, and reducing the number of cars by using shared mobility, electric vehicles and automated vehicles.
The commission will release its final report in September on reducing energy use in the transportation sector 50 percent by 2050 while still meeting federal, state and local policies.