The Future is Eclectic

All technologies have an impact on the environment, from internal combustion engine vehicles to battery electric vehicles, fuel cell electric vehicles, and hybrids—there is no silver bullet. The battery electric vehicle may seem the obvious path to a sustainable, carbon-free transportation future, but it’s not the only, nor necessarily the best, path forward. The vast majority of vehicles today use the internal combustion engine (ICE), and this is unlikely to change anytime soon. Improving the ICE and its fuels—entering a new ICE age—must be a main route on the road to zero emissions.

There are many promising methods for reducing vehicle emissions: novel high-efficiency engine concepts, electrification, alternative fuels, aftertreatment systems, and more. Investing in these diverse technologies increases our chances of quickly and successfully decarbonizing transportation.

Realistically, each solution comes with its own set of caveats. IC engines currently burn petroleum derived fuels and emit tailpipe emissions. BEVs on the other hand are heavier, thereby emitting equivalent particulate emissions, while also consuming electrical power generated elsewhere.

What roles should hybrid vehicles, battery electric vehicles, and internal combustion engine vehicles play in our future? In today’s complicated propulsion landscape, there is not a simple answer.

Heavy-duty and freight vehicles rely on the high energy density of liquid fuels to supply sufficient power. Battery technology today cannot meet the power demands of these vehicles, and a suitable replacement for the internal combustion engine is far from being realized.