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The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the Center author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
Center Overview
The Center for Efficient Vehicles and Sustainable Transportation Systems (EV-STS) conducts and disseminates applied research on technologies, methodologies, and tools that facilitate the design, manufacture, deployment, and operation of energy efficient, environmentally sustainable ground vehicles. Its mission is to dramatically improve the energy efficiency and environmental sustainability of ground vehicles through collaborative research among corporate, utility, government, and academic stakeholders in the automotive and ground transportation industries. These vehicles include passenger cars, light- and heavy-duty trucks, and motorized off-road equipment. The mission encompasses both vehicle-level technologies and transportation systems and reflects the inherent complexity and global nature of the automotive and ground transportation industries.
Universities
- University of Texas, Austin
- University of Alabama
- Arizona State University
- University of Louisville
Center Personnel
Glen Prater
Center Staff
+1 502 852 3788
gprater@louisville.edu
Yang-Ki Hong
Center Staff
+1 205 348 5152
ykhong@eng.ua.edu
Hongbin Yu
Center Director
+1 480 965 5479
hongbin.yu@asu.edu
Ronald Matthews
Center Staff
+1 512 471 6424
rdmatt@mail.utexas.edu
Research Focus
Conventional powertrains/alternative fuels
- Mechanical and thermodynamic efficiency improvements in internal combustion engines, high-pressure compression ignition fuel systems, alternative fuels (including LNG/CNG), emissions control, engine/powertrain control systems, integration of conventional powertrains with launch-assist and idle-free operation technologies.
- Waste heat/power utilization.
Efficient/sustainable autonomous vehicles
Fifth-generation (5G) telematics and emerging powertrain, sensor, and communication technologies for different Society of Automotive Engineers International (SAE) automated driving levels.
- Impact of automation on powertrain, running gear, and body architectures.
- Integration of autonomous vehicles into existing ground transportation networks.
- Reliability and security.
Electrified vehicle powertrains with more selective and robust processes and smaller environmental footprint
- Automotive fuel cell systems.
- Components and systems for advanced hybrid-electric and electric vehicles, including advanced batteries, traction motors, and power electronics.
- Packaging and thermal management.
Non-powertrain vehicle systems optimization
- Advanced materials for structural weight reduction.
- Architecture-level optimization.
- Loss minimization through reduction of component friction, aerodynamic drag, rolling resistance, and thermal losses.
- Manufacturing technologies for efficient/sustainable vehicles.
Transportation systems and infrastructure
- Incorporation of ground vehicle efficiency/sustainability considerations into urban planning and decision-making.
- Infrastructure characterization and optimization of integrated, multimodal transportation and energy systems for enhanced efficiency and sustainability.
- Operational conditions (weather, population density, grid characteristics, public policy imperatives, etc.) affecting the deployment of energy efficient vehicles and transportation systems.
- Plug-in vehicle infrastructure, including charging station technologies and the impact of plug-in vehicles on the electrical grid.
Awards
Phase I I/UCRC Arizona State University Site: Center for Efficient Vehicles and Sustainable Transportation Systems (EV-STS).
Arizona State University (ASU) will help establish and operate a multi-institution Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC) for Efficient Vehicles and Sustainable Transportation Systems (EV-STS) as one of two charter sites (University of Louisville will host the other charter site). Such a center is needed to support the U.S. automotive/ground transportation industry?s efforts to meet demanding new federal regulations governing vehicle fuel economy and emissions, as well as society?s expectations for improved sustainability in economic and personal activities. The EV-STS center will engage the industry?s critical stakeholders - vehicle manufacturers, component and system suppliers, fleet operators, ground transportation industry infrastructure providers, and state and local governments - in identifying important efficiency/sustainability related problems, and formulating a research program that develops innovative solutions.
The mission of the EV-STS center and its ASU site is to leverage collaborations among corporate, government, and academic partners to conduct and disseminate industry-relevant research on technologies and tools that facilitate the design, manufacture, deployment, and operation of energy efficient, environmentally sustainable ground vehicles. The scope of this mission includes passenger cars, light- and heavy duty trucks, and motorized off-road equipment. It encompasses both vehicle-level technologies, and the infrastructure and transportation systems that incorporate ground vehicles. The mission is divided into four primary thrust areas: powertrains for full-electric vehicles and the entire continuum of electric-hybrid powertrains, including batteries, electric machines, power electronics, thermal management, packaging, etc., advanced internal combustion engines and alternative fuels, non-powertrain vehicle systems, and ground transportation systems and infrastructure. Within EV-STS the ASU site will have a research focus on realizing sustainable electrified vehicles. Site-specific topic areas are likely to include power electronics, power electronics device, system integration, and materials and processes for integration for vehicle-connected wearable health monitoring electronics for driver safety and overall transportation system safety.
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The University of Texas (UT) will establish a site within the NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC) for Efficient Vehicles and Sustainable Transportation Systems (EV-STS), joining existing sites at the University of Alabama, Arizona State University, and the University of Louisville. This Center has been established to support the U.S. automotive/ground transportation industry's efforts to meet demanding new federal regulations governing vehicle fuel economy and emissions, as well as society's expectations for improved sustainability in economic and personal activities. The EV-STS Center engages the industry's critical stakeholders - vehicle manufacturers, component and system suppliers, fleet operators, energy companies, ground transportation industry infrastructure providers, and state and local governments - in identifying important efficiency and/or sustainability related problems, and formulating research projects that develop innovative solutions to these problems.
The mission of the EV-STS Center and its UT Site is to leverage collaborations among corporate, government, and academic partners to conduct and disseminate industry-relevant research on technologies and tools that facilitate the design, manufacture, deployment, and operation of energy efficient, environmentally sustainable ground vehicles. The scope of this mission includes passenger cars, light- and heavy-duty trucks, and motorized off-road equipment. It encompasses both vehicle-level technologies and the infrastructure and transportation systems that incorporate ground vehicles. The mission is divided into four primary thrust areas: (1) powertrains for full-electric vehicles and the entire continuum of hybrid powertrains; (2) advanced internal combustion engines and alternative fuels; (3) non-powertrain vehicle systems; and (4) ground transportation systems and infrastructure. Within EV-STS, the UT Site will include research in all four thrust areas. UT will perform research that includes but is not limited to methods for sustaining the most fuel efficient gasoline engines given future emissions limits; methods for making choices among alternative fuel and alternative energy source options; real-world fuel economy; application of a new mathematical tool, iso-geometry, to the design of heavy-duty vehicles; evolution of the U.S. light-duty vehicle fleet given consumer options among conventional vehicles, light electric vehicles, plug-in vehicles, and autonomous vehicles; use of fuel cells as range extenders to increase the zero emissions range of medium-duty parcel delivery vans; and development of a mathematical model to allow assessment of the facilities requirements for expansion of electric transit bus fleets.
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University of Louisville (UL) is part of a multi-institution Industry University Cooperative Research Center (IUCRC) for Efficient Vehicles and Sustainable Transportation Systems (EVSTS) that supports the U.S. automotive industry’s effort to meet demanding federal regulations governing vehicle fuel economy and emissions, and society’s expectations for improved sustainability. Achieving environmental sustainability is a generational problem that represents one of the most critical technological challenge of our time. Electricity generation (31%) and transportation (27%) are the largest contributors to U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Wheeled ground vehicles, in turn, generate most of the transportation emissions and have an increasing impact on emissions from electricity generation. Solutions must address vehicle sustainability without unduly disrupting an industry that is central to the nation’s economic health and its citizens’ lifestyles. The EVSTS Center engages the automotive industry’s critical stakeholders - vehicle manufacturers, component and system suppliers, fleet operators, ground transportation infrastructure providers, and state / local governments - in yielding transformational improvements in the energy efficiency and environmental sustainability of ground vehicles. Scope of the work encompasses passenger cars, trucks, and motorized non-road equipment, as well as vehicle-level technologies and transportation system infrastructure, reflecting the complexity and global nature of the automotive and ground transportation industries.
The EVSTS center leverages collaborations among corporate, government, and academic partners to conduct and disseminate industry-relevant research on technologies and tools that facilitate the design, manufacture, deployment, and operation of energy efficient, environmentally sustainable ground vehicles. Research is conducted in five technical focus areas: 1) electrified vehicle powertrains, 2) conventional powertrains and alternative fuels, 3) non-powertrain vehicle systems optimization, 4) efficient / sustainable autonomous vehicles, and 5) transportation systems and infrastructure. Specifically, UL’s site research focus is on realizing sustainable ground vehicles. Site-specific topic areas are include 1) advancement and modernizing of batteries for extending lifetime/durability/safety, 2) vehicle/battery optimization using data-driven machine learning, and 3) development of new and lightweight materials for cost-reduction and fuel efficiency. Thermal management, analysis of battery degradation, and development of high safety solid-state batteries are the main priorities in the UL site regarding improving the energy source of electric vehicles. Additional research efforts are directed at predictive maintenance and diagnosis using machine learning, intelligent motor control, and optimal design of human-vehicle interface to increase vehicle efficiency and safety.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Read More >
Arizona State University (ASU) leads a multi-institution Industry University Cooperative Research Center (IUCRC) for Efficient Vehicles and Sustainable Transportation Systems (EVSTS) that supports the U.S. automotive industry’s effort to meet demanding federal regulations governing vehicle fuel economy and emissions, and society’s expectations for improved sustainability. Achieving environmental sustainability is a generational problem that represents one of the most critical technological challenges of our time. Electricity generation (31%) and transportation (27%) are the largest contributors to U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Wheeled ground vehicles, in turn, generate most of the transportation emissions and have an increasing impact on emissions from electricity generation. Solutions must address vehicle sustainability without unduly disrupting an industry that is central to the nation’s economic health and its citizens’ lifestyles. The EVSTS Center engages the automotive industry’s critical stakeholders - vehicle manufacturers, component and system suppliers, fleet operators, ground transportation infrastructure providers, and state / local governments - in yielding transformational improvements in the energy efficiency and environmental sustainability of ground vehicles. Scope of the work encompasses passenger cars, trucks, and motorized non-road equipment, as well as vehicle-level technologies and transportation system infrastructure, reflecting the complexity and global nature of the automotive and ground transportation industries.
The EVSTS center leverages collaborations among corporate, government, and academic partners to conduct and disseminate industry-relevant research on technologies and tools that facilitate the design, manufacture, deployment, and operation of energy efficient, environmentally sustainable vehicles. Research is conducted in five technical areas: 1) electrified vehicle powertrains, 2) conventional powertrains and alternative fuels, 3) non-powertrain vehicle systems optimization, 4) efficient / sustainable autonomous vehicles, and 5) transportation systems and infrastructure. Specifically, ASU’s expertise in power electronic converters and systems, energy efficient microelectronics circuits, and system integration helps companies design and move toward commercializing sustainable electrified vehicles. Recent significant investments in Arizona’s semiconductor and automotive industries strategically position ASU to collaborate with emerging EV manufacturers and charging station companies, to create education and training opportunities for a green manufacturing work force, and to engage semiconductor companies in research collaboration by bringing together organizations throughout the automotive supply chain early in the integration process. For example, with vehicle electrification, adoption of infotainment and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) /automated driving systems (ADS) will soon become as prolific as today’s smart phones and tablets. Designing system-level components and bringing together players to collaborate in the critical integration process is a focus of the ASU site.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Read More >
The University of Alabama (UA) will establish a site within the NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC) for Efficient Vehicles and Sustainable Transportation Systems (EV-STS), joining existing charter sites at the University of Louisville and Arizona State University. This center has been established to support the U.S. automotive/ground transportation industry?s efforts to meet demanding new federal regulations governing vehicle fuel economy and emissions, as well as society?s expectations for improved sustainability in economic and personal activities. The EV-STS Center engages the industry?s critical stakeholders - vehicle manufacturers, component and system suppliers, fleet operators, energy companies, ground transportation industry infrastructure providers, and state and local governments - in identifying important efficiency/sustainability related problems, and formulating research projects that develop innovative solutions to these problems.
The mission of the EV-STS Center and its UA Site is to leverage collaborations among corporate, government, and academic partners to conduct and disseminate industry-relevant research on technologies and tools that facilitate the design, manufacture, deployment, and operation of energy efficient, environmentally sustainable ground vehicles. The scope of this mission includes passenger cars, light- and heavy duty trucks, and motorized off-road equipment. It encompasses both vehicle-level technologies, and the infrastructure and transportation systems that incorporate ground vehicles. The mission is divided into four primary thrust areas: powertrains for full-electric vehicles and the entire continuum of electric-hybrid powertrains, including batteries, electric machines, power electronics, thermal management, packaging, etc., advanced internal combustion engines and alternative fuels, non-powertrain vehicle systems, and ground transportation systems and infrastructure. Within EV-STS, the UA Site will have a research focus on realizing sustainable electrified vehicles. Site-specific topic areas are likely to include magnetic materials for electric motors and generators, high performance electric motor controls, thermoelectric materials for automotive energy recovery, 5G-ready telematics antennas, and machine learning-based fuel efficiency estimation and operator assistance.
Read More >
The University of Texas at Austin (UT) is part of a multi-institution Industry University Cooperative Research Center (IUCRC) for Efficient Vehicles and Sustainable Transportation Systems (EVSTS) that supports the U.S. automotive industry’s effort to meet demanding federal regulations governing vehicle fuel economy and emissions, and society’s expectations for improved sustainability. Achieving environmental sustainability is a generational problem that represents a critical technological challenge of our time. Electricity generation (31%) and transportation (27%) are the largest contributors to U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Wheeled ground vehicles, in turn, generate most of the transportation emissions and have an increasing impact on emissions from electricity generation. Solutions must address vehicle sustainability without unduly disrupting an industry that is central to the nation’s economic health and its citizens’ lifestyles. The EVSTS Center engages the automotive industry’s critical stakeholders - vehicle manufacturers, component and system suppliers, fleet operators, ground transportation infrastructure providers, and state / local governments - in yielding transformational improvements in the energy efficiency and environmental sustainability of ground vehicles. Work scope encompasses passenger cars, trucks, and motorized non-road equipment, as well as vehicle-level technologies and transportation system infrastructure, reflecting the complexity and global nature of the automotive and ground transportation industries.
The EVSTS center leverages collaborations among corporate, government, and academic partners to conduct and disseminate industry-relevant research on technologies and tools that facilitate the design, manufacture, deployment, and operation of energy efficient, environmentally sustainable ground vehicles. Research is conducted in five technical focus areas: 1) electrified vehicle powertrains, 2) conventional powertrains and alternative fuels, 3) non-powertrain vehicle systems optimization, 4) efficient / sustainable autonomous vehicles, and 5) transportation systems and infrastructure. Specifically, UT’s four faculty cover thrusts 2, 3, 4 and 5. Two or these researchers supervise experimental and numerical modeling research regarding engine and vehicle emissions and fuel efficiency. Another optimizes 2-way interactions between EVs and power grids, along with EV charging station designs. The final researcher simulates shared, autonomous, all-electric vehicle (SAEV) systems for passenger service, optimally sites EV charging stations (across the nation and regions) and specifies local electric bus deployments (with smart bus charging to protect local power grids). Texas’ Advanced Computing Center’s clusters are used for parallel runs of computationally intensive modeling, including 1) agent-based simulations of Austinites’ millions of trips each day, as served by hundreds of thousands of SAEVs, 2) the starting process of downsized, turbocharged engines, and 3) the spark ignition process.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Read More >
Phase I I/UCRC University of Louisville Site: Center for Efficient Vehicles and Sustainable Transportation Systems (EV-STS)
The University of Louisville (UL) will help establish and operate a multi-institution Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC) for Efficient Vehicles and Sustainable Transportation Systems (EV-STS) as one of two charter sites (Arizona State University will host the second charter site). Such a center is needed to support the U.S. automotive/ground transportation industry?s efforts to meet demanding new federal regulations governing vehicle fuel economy and emissions, as well as society?s expectations for improved sustainability in economic and personal activities. The EV-STS center will engage the industry?s critical stakeholders - vehicle manufacturers, component and system suppliers, fleet operators, ground transportation industry infrastructure providers, and state and local governments - in identifying important efficiency/sustainability related problems, and formulating a research program that develops innovative solutions.
The mission of the EV-STS center and its UL site is to leverage collaborations among corporate, government, and academic partners to conduct and disseminate industry-relevant research on technologies and tools that facilitate the design, manufacture, deployment, and operation of energy efficient, environmentally sustainable ground vehicles. The scope of this mission includes passenger cars, light- and heavy duty trucks, and motorized off-road equipment. It encompasses both vehicle-level technologies, and the infrastructure and transportation systems that incorporate ground vehicles. The mission is divided into four primary thrust areas: powertrains for full-electric vehicles and the entire continuum of electric-hybrid powertrains, including batteries, electric machines, power electronics, thermal management, packaging, etc., advanced internal combustion engines and alternative fuels, non-powertrain vehicle systems, and ground transportation systems and infrastructure. Within EV-STS the UL site will have a research focus on realizing sustainable ground vehicles. Site-specific topic areas are likely to include advanced batteries for use in electrified vehicles, lightweight structures, high performance computing tools for vehicle architecture optimization, emission and greenhouse gas reduction in internal combustion engines, and frictional loss management.
Read More >
The University of Alabama (UA) is part of a multi-institution Industry University Cooperative Research Center (IUCRC) for Efficient Vehicles and Sustainable Transportation Systems (EVSTS) that supports the U.S. automotive industry’s effort to meet demanding federal regulations governing vehicle fuel economy and emissions, and society’s expectations for improved sustainability. Achieving environmental sustainability is a generational problem that represents perhaps the most critical technological challenge of our time. Electricity generation (31%) and transportation (27%) are the largest contributors to U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Wheeled ground vehicles, in turn, generate most of the transportation emissions and have an increasing impact on emissions from electricity generation. Solutions must address vehicle sustainability without unduly disrupting an industry that is central to the nation’s economic health and its citizens’ lifestyles. The EVSTS Center engages the automotive industry’s critical stakeholders - vehicle manufacturers, component and system suppliers, fleet operators, ground transportation infrastructure providers, and state / local governments - in yielding transformational improvements in the energy efficiency and environmental sustainability of ground vehicles. Scope of the work encompasses passenger cars, trucks, and motorized non-road equipment, as well as vehicle-level technologies and transportation system infrastructure, reflecting the complexity and global nature of the automotive and ground transportation industries.
The EVSTS center leverages collaborations among corporate, government, and academic partners to conduct and disseminate industry-relevant research on technologies and tools that facilitate the design, manufacture, deployment, and operation of energy efficient, environmentally sustainable ground vehicles. Research is conducted in five technical focus areas: 1) electrified vehicle powertrains, 2) conventional powertrains and alternative fuels, 3) non-powertrain vehicle systems optimization, 4) efficient / sustainable autonomous vehicles, and 5) transportation systems and infrastructure. Specifically, the UA site focuses on realizing sustainable electrified vehicles through the following site-specific research areas - magnetic materials for electric motors and generators, ferrite spoke-type motors for electric trucks, high-performance electric motor controls, and machine learning-based vehicle component prognostics.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Read More >