Are We Ready to Step Off the Gas? Preparing for the Impacts of Alternative Fuel Vehicles

The transportation sector is on the verge of a dramatic transition, driven by the need to improve environmental performance. The transition will see a gradual shift from a “mono-fuel” picture in the light-duty segment of the transportation market, to a much cleaner, more technologically diverse transportation scene in the near future. Five broad categories of technologies are considered in this report: conventional vehicles using petroleum-based or renewable fuels; hybrids; plug-in hybrids; battery electric vehicles; and hydrogen electric vehicles. New technologies for these categories will have varying repercussions for public policy. And policy-makers will have to be aware of the system-wide impact when introducing alternative policies in response to, and in anticipation of, new vehicle technologies.