Advanced Vehicles and Powertrains

NREL applies advanced engineering and data science methods to support technology development for commercial vehicles and powertrains and evaluate vehicle and engine performance for energy and fuel efficiency.

A man plugs a high-power charging cable into an electric semi-truck that reads Electric Vehicle.

Advanced Vehicle Engine Research

NREL partners with vehicle manufacturers and energy companies to improve energy-efficient technologies enabled by biofuels and domestic energy sources. Our researchers work on a broad portfolio of processes for converting biomass to transportation fuels such as gasoline, diesel, jet, and synthetic natural gas and then help commercial fleets transition to vehicles that run on lower-emission fuels.

Fuel Efficiency Modeling and Simulation

NREL offers innovative modeling and simulation capabilities to help vehicle manufacturers develop cleaner, more efficient, and cost-effective powertrains that meet consumer needs. Our researchers quantitatively analyze the impacts of various factors—including vehicle weight, rolling resistance, and aerodynamic drag—on fuel economy.

We have also developed multiple methods for predicting medium- and heavy-duty vehicle fuel consumption based on drive cycle properties. Our models have been developed and verified using data collected from chassis testing and real-world evaluations.

Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicle Powertrain Evaluations

NREL partners with commercial and federal fleets to evaluate the performance of electric and alternative fuel medium- and heavy-duty powertrains relative to conventional vehicles.

Vehicle Duty Cycle Data Analysis

Real-world duty cycle data analysis forms the foundation of our fleet performance evaluations. Our extensive in-use data on commercial vehicle duty cycles enable us to assist in appropriately sizing medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicle (EV) trucks and siting charging infrastructure. Our portfolio spans EV trucks, buses, drayage tractors, and more.

New Technology Simulations for Potential Fuel Savings

To evaluate potential fuel savings, NREL can model multiple vehicle optimization scenarios across a variety of powertrains, using real-world data. Such simulation studies can consider improvements to vehicle rolling resistance, coefficient of drag, and vehicle weight as well as alternative fuels and electrification across the spectrum—from hybridization to battery or fuel cell electric vehicles.

Low NO_x Engine Evaluation and Deployment

NREL researchers can help evaluate the viability of low-oxides of nitrogen (NO_x) engines for commercial applications. Through customized analysis, we can assess the viability of low-NO_x fueled engines that run on a variety of alternative fuels, analyze the costs and operational performance of low-NO_x fleets compared to conventional diesel vehicles, and calculate the reductions in harmful emissions achieved by deploying low-NO_x vehicles.