Development of a dedicated ethanol ultra-low emission vehicle (ULEV) -- Phase 2 report

The objective of this 3.5-year project is to develop a commercially competitive vehicle powered by ethanol (or an ethanol blend) that can meet California`s ultra-low emission vehicle (ULEV) standards and equivalent corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) energy efficiency for a light-duty passenger car application. The definition of commercially competitive is independent of fuel cost, but does include technical requirements for competitive power, performance, refueling times, vehicle range, driveability, fuel handling safety, and overall emissions performance. This report summarizes the second phase of this project, which lasted 12 months. This report documents two baseline vehicles, the engine modifications made to the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) engines, advanced aftertreatment testing, and various fuel tests to evaluate the flammability, lubricity, and material compatibility of the ethanol fuel blends.