Lecture 8: The Transportation

Sector
Kelly T. Sanders

October 5, 2020
 US Transportation Trends

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The Transportation Sector
represents ~30% of US energy
consumption

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Petroleum represents ~92% of the energy consumed for
transportation; gasoline is the most utilized fuel for
transportation in US

Oil problem = transportation problem

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The transportation sector is produces more emissions than any
other economic sector, including the power sector in recent
years

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 The fuel sources used in the transportation
sector are getting more diverse over time
Chart modified from eia.gov/energyexplained/use-of-energy/transportation.php
Primary Fuel Commonly uses by type of transportation (not comprehensive)
energy source
Oil Gasoline used in cars, motorcycles, light trucks, and boats. Aviation gasoline is used in
many types of airplanes.
Distillate/ diesel Mainly in trucks, buses, and trains and in boats and ships
Jet fuel jet airplanes and some types of helicopters.
Residual fuel oil ships
Propane used in cars, buses, and trucks. Most of the vehicles that use propane are in
government and private vehicle fleets.
Bioenergy Biofuels Additive to gasoline (as ethanol), vehicles that use diesel fuel (biodiesel)
Natural Gas Natural gas cars, buses, trucks, ships. Most natural gas vehicles are in government and
private vehicle fleets. Also used in compressors to move NG by pipeline

Lots of fuels Electricity used by public mass transit systems and by electric vehicles

Water Hydrogen Hydrogen cell vehicles (typically bus fleets, some passenger cars)

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Over 80% of US transportation energy consumption is for road/highway travel; passenger cars
are fuels mostly with gasoline and heavier highway vehicles with diesel fuel
(Note that ethanol/ biofuels are not included here)

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Highway vehicles consume the most petroleum in the transportation
sector; little growth despite population growth and increases in VMT
Energy Consumption by Transportation Mode in the United States,
1960-2016 (in Trillion BTUs)

Source: Rodrigue (2020); based on US DOT data

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 The US has a lot of road vehicles and we drive
them a lot of miles
US Population: 323 million [2017]
Light Duty Vehicles (LDVs): 258 million;
– 13% of total world vehicle registrations!
– Cars: 113 million
• Average Fuel Economy: 26.8 mpg
• Average lifetime: 11.6 years
– Light Trucks: 146 million
• Average Fuel Economy: 19.1
• Average age: 11.6
Heavy Trucks: 11.5 million
– Heavy trucks and buses accounted for
10% of VMT in 2016
Miles traveled: 3.1 trillion LDV miles (2015
estimate)
Source: DoE
Transportation Energy
Note: Light-duty vehicles = Passenger Vehicles =
Data Book 2018
The cars/ light trucks that we (normal people) own

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US purchases have shifted from cars to bigger
vehicles

Source: DoE Transportation Energy Data Book 2008

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 Light Duty Vehicles sold in the US

Recession

Growth of SUV

Price drops from

fracking

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 Global Transportation Trends

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The US owns more
cars per capita than
any other country

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The world is falling in love with the car as well
• Transportation activity is expected to grow
significantly in most countries over next 25 years.
• Over next ~20 yrs, vehicle ownership is expected to
double worldwide, (mostly in non-OECD)
• transportation energy use:
– non-OECD will grow ~2.8 percent per year from 2010
to 2040,
– OECD will shrink ~0.3 percent per year
• Over the past few years, many countries have
indicated transitions away from Internal Combustion
Engine, so its not clear how EVs, car sharing trends
and public transport will affect these projections!

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Nearly 80% of the world’s transportation energy
is used for cars and trucks

Final Energy Consumption by Fuel Type by Transport Sector (World Average)

Source: Rodrigue (2020), https://transportgeography.org/?page_id=15588 based on
Kelly T. Sanders,
IPCC data
10/5/2020
Ph.D.
15
Most of future passenger vehicle growth will be
in developing countries

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 Transportation Vehicle Energy
Efficiency & Density
Comparisons

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Cars and trucks are not very energy efficient
per passenger mile
Mode BTU per vehicle-mile BTU per passenger-mile
Cars 5300 3400
Personal trucks 7100 3800
Motorcycles 2900 2500
Transit Buses 36,000 4100
Air 276,000 2700
Commuter Rail 66,400 2600

Source: DoE Transportation

Energy Data Book 2012 (2010
Data)

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Waterborne and railway freight systems are
generally more efficient than highway vehicles
Freight Mode Energy Intensity
[BTU per ton-mile]
Heavy Trucks* 850 to 1075

Freight Railroad 289

Waterborne 217

*Typical loads for heavy trucks are 20-25 tons

Source: DoE Transportation Energy Data Book 2012 (2010 Data)

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 The energy intensity
of most transport
options has gone
down over time
https://www.rita.dot.gov/bts
/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/
NTS_Entire_2017Q2.pdf

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Kelly T. Sanders, Ph.D.
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In the transportation sector, fuel density is VERY important since you have to
move fuel too; Energy density can be measured in terms of energy per
volume or energy per mass

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Emerging trends for more sustainable
transport

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There are many technologies that can be
improved on the ICE cars we already drive
Technology MPG
Improvement
Improved Aerodynamics 2-8%

Lighter materials 3-13%

Low rolling resistance tires 2-6%

Fast combustion 3-5%

Cylinder deactivation 3-8%

Direct injection 1-3%

In an average LDV, only 17% of energy
Valve improvements 1-7% released from the fuel is delivered to the
wheels and forward motion (room for
Engine shut-off during idle 2% improvement)!
Transmission 1-8%
Source for cost and efficiency estimates: EIA AEO
2006; NAS 2006

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Decreasing the speed limit would reduce oil
consumption…

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…But the U.S. prefers to find an alternative
fuels, rather than drive less or make cars lighter

• Biofuels
• Electricity E85

• Natural Gas
• Hydrogen
EV
CNG

Hybrids

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 The most registered type of alternative vehicle
car might surprise you

Approximate Vehicle
AFV Type Registrations
Flex Fuel Vehicles (mostly E85) 22,194,300
HEV: Hybrid electric vehicle 4,277,400
CNG: Compressed natural gas 28,900
PHEV: Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle 473,200
EV: Electric vehicle 543,700
Propane 240
Hydrogen Fuel Cell 5,700

• FVV: Flexible fuel vehicles have an internal combustion engine and are capable of
operating on gasoline and any blend of gasoline and ethanol up to 83%. E85 (or flex fuel)
is a gasoline-ethanol blend containing 51% to 83% ethanol, depending on geography and
season.
• HEV: Hybrid electric vehicles cannot be plugged in to charge the battery. Instead, the
battery is charged through regenerative braking and by the internal combustion engine.

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 Fuel volumes are measured in gasoline-
gallon equivalents (GGEs).
https://www.afdc.energy.gov/data/10326
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Topics to come:
• Deep dive into alternative vehicles and
corporate average fuel economy
standards

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 Kelly T. Sanders, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
ktsanders@usc.edu