Vehicle Technology

The NCST is supporting the transition toward zero-emission vehicle and fuel technologies for light-duty passenger vehicles, transit vehicles, and heavy-duty freight vehicles through research on lifecycle emissions, private and social costs, consumer behavior, regulatory and market policies, and the equity of access to electric vehicles and charging infrastructure. 

A Deep Dive Into Corridor DC Fast Chargers in California

  • Principal Investigator Tisura Gamage
  • University of California, Davis
This research will study the challenges of installation and operation of a reliable network of public DC fast charging stations. While existing studies show costs ranging from $20,000 - $150,000, the researchers find costs range anywhere between $122,000 and $440,000.
Project Status
In Progress

A National Assessment of the Air Quality and Health Impacts of Vehicle Travel and Electrification: Phase 1 Near Roadway Impacts and Equity Analysis

  • Principal Investigator Gregory Rowangould, Ph.D.
  • University of Vermont
This project will address limitations in the current literature surrounding air quality impacts of vehicle traffic, especially in underserved communities. The team will employ a refined near-roadway emission exposure surrogate that balances spatial precision and computational burden to estimate changes in exposure levels and health risks and the distribution of these burdens over time as EV adoption increases.
Project Status
In Progress

Advancing Equitable Electric Vehicle Adoption: Addressing home charging barriers and costs

  • Principal Investigator Dana Rowangould, Ph.D.
  • University of Vermont
This project evaluates the relationships between EV adoption, home charger installation, and housing characteristics as well as the costs of home charging installation for homes of different types in the City of Burlington, Vermont. The project also investigates the sociodemographic makeup of residents living in homes with greater barriers to home charging using national data.
Project Status
In Progress

Analyzing the Effectiveness of Policy and Regulatory Frameworks for Sustainable Truck Freight

  • Principal Investigator Caleb Weed
  • Georgia Institute of Technology
This study systematically reviews the policy landscape for sustainable freight transportation using text mining and natural language processing techniques and aggregates them into seven distinct policy types: prohibitions, rebates, sales mandates, technological mandates, material infrastructure, and immaterial infrastructure.
Project Status
In Progress

Assessing Electric Vehicle Benefits in a Rural, Cold, and Mountainous Region

  • Principal Investigator Dana Rowangould, Ph.D.
  • University of Vermont
This study will collect real-world driving data in the mountainous and largely rural northern state of Vermont to determine how plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) use and performance differ across these contexts and for different vehicle types.
Project Status
In Progress

Assessing Transportation Equity in California ZEV Incentives at Participating Dealerships

  • Principal Investigator Aviv Steren
  • University of California, Davis
This study aims to identify the existing bias, barriers, gaps, in zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) sales processes as well as the inventory and source of used ZEVs at the participating dealerships that hinder larger adoption of ZEVs, specifically in the low-middle income and disadvantaged communities households in California.
Project Status
In Progress

Battery Technologies for Current and Future Heavy-Duty and Transit Electric Vehicles

  • Principal Investigator Andrew Burke, Ph.D.
  • University of California, Davis
This research project will study battery technologies that can significantly increase the energy density to at least 500 Wh/kg or higher and reduce charging time to fifteen minutes or lower and have a cell cost to the original equipment manufacturer of $70/kWh or lower in a large battery pack (>500 kWh).
Project Status
In Progress

Deep Learning-Based Optimization of Eco-Driving Strategies with Connected and Autonomous Electric Vehicles on Transportation Networks

  • Principal Investigator Fengxiang Qiao, Ph.D.
  • Texas Southern University
This project will help both transportation and environmental agencies at all levels, and car manufacturers, to understand the design, operation, and impacts of optimal eco-driving strategies. The project will provide urgent science and test-based input to inform policy and practice development.
Project Status
In Progress

Electric Truck Fleet Management Under Limited and Uncertain Charging Infrastructure Availability

  • Principal Investigator Petros Ioannou, Ph.D.
  • University of Southern California
This project will address the issues of freight decarbonization and supply chain resiliency by designing electric truck fleet management strategies that consider limited charging availability for electric vehicles, respond to electricity grid uncertainties, and analyze the constraints of long-haul and short-haul operations with electric trucks.
Project Status
In Progress

Electrifying Multi-Unit Dwellings: A Study of Electric Vehicle Charger Adoption Among California Landlords

  • Principal Investigator Alan Jenn, Ph.D.
  • University of California, Davis
This project will investigate the unique challenges and barriers faced by landlords and management of Multi-Unit Dwellings in deploying EV charging infrastructure, with a focus on equity considerations and community engagement. By addressing these barriers, the study has the potential to significantly impact EV adoption rates, aligning with California's ambitious goals and setting a precedent for nationwide implementation.
Project Status
In Progress
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