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Postdoctoral Researcher, Consumer Adoption of Electric Vehicles & Survey Design and Implementation

About us

The Electric Vehicle (EV) Research Center launched in early 2007, with the support of the California Energy Commission. Now, the EV Research Center collaborates closely with state and federal agencies, utilities, automakers, regulators, and other research institutions to provide the rigorous research and impartial policy analysis that are needed to meet the climate, environmental, and equity goals of our society.

Moving forward our research is focused on measuring, monitoring, and understanding multiple aspects of the quickly evolving markets for zero emission vehicles, the incentives and policies needed to meet the goals nationally and internationally, the demand for infrastructure and energy, the development of new supply chains, and environmental impacts of the transition to electric transportation.

The program receives support from industry partners, planning agencies and research foundations, and works in close cooperation with the federally funded National Center for Sustainable Transportation and other research programs at UC Davis. For additional information on the EV Center and on ITS Davis, please see ev.ucdavis.edu (https://ev.ucdavis.edu/) and its.ucdavis.edu (https://its.ucdavis.edu/).

Position Description

The selected candidate will join a team investigating the future of electric mobility at the University of California, Davis. The postdoctoral researcher will mainly work on survey design and implementation and modeling and analyzing the results related to transportation electrification as well as travel behavior modeling research. The postdoctoral researcher will engage in exciting projects addressing the issues of EVs and consumer behaviors, as well as develop knowledge and investigate topics relevant to the increased adoption and use of EVs.

The position’s general duties include: (1) designing, overseeing, and conducting research using both quantitative and qualitative methods, (2) identifying funding opportunities; leading and contributing to proposals to apply to those opportunities. (3) supervising, and mentoring students and other team members working on research projects, (4) writing articles for refereed academic journals, technical reports, and/or for conferences, (5) presenting research to a variety of audiences.

Qualifications & Skills

1) Candidates should have completed a doctoral degree in Civil Engineering, Transportation Engineering/Planning, Computer Science, Economics, Geography, or a related field at the time of hire. Candidates with strong multidisciplinary skills covering more than one of these areas are particularly encouraged to apply. Extremely well-qualified candidates with slightly different qualifications and/or research focus might be also considered under special circumstances.

2) The postdoctoral researcher must have a deep understanding of travel behavior, travel demand modeling, discrete choice modeling, including demonstrable experience in:

  • Transportation issues, particularly those related to zero-emission vehicle transportation.
  • Spatial analysis using tools such as ArcGIS or QGIS.
  • Quantitative methods for data analysis using statistical software such as R, Python, STATA, or equivalent.

3) Because the center’s researchers employ a range of methods to address topics relating to the purchase and use of electric vehicles, experience in the following areas is also important:

  • Market research, forecasting, and modeling the adoption of new technologies.
  • Survey design and implementation.

4) The postdoctoral researcher should have a record of publications in peer-reviewed academic journals and other publication venues.

5) The postdoctoral researcher must have excellent verbal and written English language communication skills.

6) The postdoctoral researcher must be able to work collaboratively with a research team ranging from undergraduate research assistants to research faculty.

Preferred Skills

1) Experience in working with large datasets.

2) Additional academic, industrial training or other professional experience in managing projects.

3) Ability to obtain funding to pursue their research interests and goals, or at least demonstrated proposal writing skills.

4) Ability to lead a research team of graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, and associates.

Application Procedure

Please submit your application (CV and cover letter) to Zohar Tal (ztal@ucdavis.edu)

References: 3 References required (contact information only), Letters of reference will only be solicited for finalists

Salary Range: $70,000

Program Director: Sustainable Freight Research Program

Job Summary

Direct the Sustainable Freight Research Program (SF) within the STEPS+ research framework. Provide technical leadership to the SF research team and manage grant-funded and contracted research projects. Ensure high quality and timely execution of all projects under SF purview. Manage a publications program related to projects. Conduct research directly as part of the program’s work effort. Work with colleagues to expand funding, including the supporting membership of SF. Oversee the SF budget and allocate funding to researchers and students. Manage researchers and identify needs for personnel changes or new hires as needed. Interface with SF members to identify new research activities and share information and research. Work with other STEPS+ team leaders to coordinate on research and organize workshops, Symposia, and other relevant events. Function with ahigh degree of autonomy, exercising independent judgment in selecting projects, methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria for obtaining results.

Serve as an advanced technical specialist and provide leadership within the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies (ITS) and participate in ITS strategic planning to guide the selection of future topic areas and to engage with collaborators, clients, and funders. Develop and maintain ITS expertise in advanced environmental freight vehicles, energy storage systems, propulsion systems, and fuels, along with logistic and intermodal systems at a regional, national, and global levels. Identify and manage proposal opportunities, develop proposals, and produce briefings to funding agencies, and participate in relevant conferences, technical events, and meetings. Serve as an advisor and team leader for participating staff and for teams of students to complete funded projects within ITS.

Department Purpose

The Sustainable Freight Research Program is a growing research and policy program in the Institute of Transportation Studies of the University of California, Davis. It is part of the STEPS+ research program and focuses on truck, rail, and other freight sectors. It includes research on both technologies and fuels as well as logistic systems. It covers topics related to decarbonization, reducing air pollutant emissions, and other sustainability factors. The Center receives support from a range of government and industry partners, planning agencies and research foundations, and works in close cooperation with the federally funded National Center for Sustainable Transportation and the other research programs at UC Davis.

Qualifications

Minimum

  • Bachelor’s degree in engineering, transportation/energy technology and policy, economics or related field or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
  • Personnel and budget management experience.
  • Excellent written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills, with skills to draft, rewrite and edit professional correspondence, reports, donor communications and other materials.
  • Strategic planning and evaluation skills to analyze, define, and assess problems, issues, and needs, and define needed actions.
  • Development (fundraising) experience, with a working knowledge of the gift-giving process and stewardship.
  • Experience using organizational, time management and event planning skills to organize and coordinate individuals and groups to develop collaborations and/or proposals/applications, and to plan large meetings, workshops, or conferences. Experience creating and/or writing presentations, informational documents, technical reports, and correspondence.
  • Computer skills including word processing, spreadsheet, database, presentations, website, electronic mail, and internet.

Preferred

  • Master’s or PhD in one of those same fields
  • Experience managing and executing large, complex projects, and managing large contracts.
  • Management of and outreach to organizations that interact with own organization.
  • Proposal writing, including for large grant applications.

To apply to the position please use the following instructions:

  1. Please use the link here.
  2. Sign In to access your account or if you are not an existing user select the New User link to create one.
  3. Review the job description and select the Apply button to begin your application.

If you are an existing UC employee please use the link here.

Post-Doctoral Research in Materials Decarbonization at the University of California, Davis

Description

The Energy and Efficiency Institute at the University of California, Davis, is seeking one post-doc to lead research in the area of low-carbon materials. The post-doc will participate in, lead, and develop new research projects in designing sustainable materials with an emphasis on assessing environmental burdens and integrating environmental impact assessment methods with material performance. The post-doc will develop means to robustly assess local, regional, and global burdens from materials consumption The research will focus on cement-based materials (e.g., concrete), bio-derived materials (e.g., wood), alloys (e.g., steel), and/or polymeric materials (e.g., plastic).

Appointment length: Maximum 24 month, 100 % time
Salary: Between $60,000 and $72,000, commensurate with experience.
Job Location: Davis, California, USA
Anticipated start date: September 2023

Responsibilities

The successful candidate will:

(1) Oversee and conduct comprehensive data analysis including both qualitative and quantitative data.

(2) Develop and maintain online assessment tools.

(3) Identify funding opportunities; lead and contribute to proposals to apply to those opportunities.

(4) Write articles for refereed academic journals, for technical reports , and/or for conferences.

(5) Supervise, train, and mentor graduate students and other team members working on research projects.

Qualifications (at the time of application)

Required:

(1) Ph.D or equivalent International Degree in Engineering, Chemistry, Energy, or topic demonstrably related to decarbonization

(2) Research experience in techniques and policies related to low-carbon materials

(3) Record of high quality publications in academic journals and other publication venues.

(4) Demonstrated ability to work effectively as part of an interdisciplinary team, including the ability to efficiently and actively cooperate with other staff members within the organization.

(5) Strong English communication skills (oral and written).

Preferred:

(1) Besides the graduate study leading to the PhD, additional academic, industrial training or other

professional experience in the building sciences or closely related fields.

(2) Demonstrated ability to obtain funding to pursue their research interests and goals, or at least demonstrated proposal writing skills

(3) End-to-end experience with all aspects of research – development of initial research concept, identification of and planning for funding opportunities including forming competitive teams for funding applications, writing proposals, research design, data acquisition, occupant surveys, analysis, reporting, and stakeholder communication.

(4) Demonstrated ability to lead a research team of graduate students, postdoctoral scholars and associates.

Application Procedure

Please submit your application to Zohar Tal (ztal@ucdavis.edu)

References: 3 References required (contact information only): Letters of reference will only be solicited for finalists.

Supporting California’s Move to Zero-Emission Vehicles: Creating a Viable, Large-Scale Fuel-Cell Vehicle and Hydrogen System

Hydrogen station

Photo: Adapted from Scharfsinn86 / Adobe Stock.

California is marching ahead with firm rules now in place for both light-duty and medium/heavy-duty vehicles to transition to zero emission stock by 2045. The State is requiring that all new vehicles sold from 2035 onward be “zero-emission vehicles” (ZEVs)—battery electric, plug-in hybrid, or hydrogen-powered fuel-cell vehicles. While battery electric vehicles currently dominate ZEV sales and discussions of the zero-emissions future, fuel-cell vehicles are expected to play a key role, especially in truck and bus fleets and some households. They offer a different set of strengths, such as extended driving ranges, fast refueling, and potentially greater payloads for trucks.

But creating an economically viable hydrogen system and scaling it up to meet 2035 targets will require massive investments over the next decade. While many initial investments have been made, there is no clear overarching strategy for what a full hydrogen system and supply chain infrastructure might look like in 5, 10, or 20 years. Some kind of system will be needed, given the projected needs of various sectors (transportation, industry, and buildings) and the need for low-cost renewable hydrogen to contribute to the goal of carbon neutrality by 2045 in California. Acknowledging the urgency of the moment, the state recently formed the ARCHES partnership to develop this system further.

For the past two years, a team at UC Davis has been working on the California Hydrogen Analysis Project to investigate potential future hydrogen systems and to assist in planning them through modeling. The current results of the project are described in detail in our full report. We modeled potential demands for hydrogen across sectors (with a focus on transportation), potential types and locations of hydrogen supply, and how hydrogen could be moved and stored between supply and demand locationss. We also analyzed the transportation sector, the electricity sector, and supply chains from production to end-use.

Our study has many findings across the various hydrogen sectors. Here are a few of the key findings and related policy recommendations.

Key findings

  • Transportation can lead hydrogen developments. California’s hydrogen system will need to be driven by growth in hydrogen demand from various end uses, and this growth can be led by transportation (especially by medium/heavy-duty road vehicles). By 2030 we estimate that road transportation, if properly incentivized, could create a hydrogen demand on the order of 500 metric tons per day. This should be sufficient to support development of a hydrogen production and distribution system that would be large enough to benefit from economies of scale.
  • Transportation is scalable. Rapid and incremental sales and adoption of light-duty and medium/heavy-duty fuel-cell vehicles, fostered by supply and demand-based incentives, can be supported by parallel growth of infrastructure to produce and distribute hydrogen. The decentralized nature of a transportation-focused approach can help to develop a regional hydrogen production/distribution network that can then be scaled with more stations and eventually other “offtakers”—i.e., end-users who contract to purchase hydrogen fuel when produced.
  • Strong early investment is needed. In the early years of developing hydrogen systems for transportation, many refueling stations will be needed to ensure adequate coverage so drivers can reliably find fuel as they travel. This can mean generally low utilization of stations and challenging station economics that may require policies to ensure profitability. The Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) credit systems, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) renewable hydrogen production cost credit, and other incentives can help. But the most important solution is to support investments in areas such as refueling stations and fleet vehicle purchases, which will quickly increase transportation demand.
  • On-going rapid scale-up should occur after 2030. Then, with lower hydrogen costs and prices available, the market should be able to further scale in a profitable manner to reach much higher fuel-cell vehicle shares and hydrogen demand. If fuel-cell vehicles succeed in growing to about 10% of light-duty vehicle shares and 25% of truck shares by 2045, hydrogen demand could be 10 times higher than in 2030, and refueling station numbers could eventually reach many hundreds or even thousands in California, depending on average station sizes.
  • Liquid hydrogen may play an important role. Currently all hydrogen is produced, stored, and moved as a compressed gas; but cryogenic liquid hydrogen may play an important role, especially for refueling large, long-haul trucks. Liquid hydrogen production/storage/station systems have significant advantages given their fuel density and potential for faster dispensing (even into gaseous storage on vehicles), particularly for vehicles, such as heavy-duty trucks, with a lot of hydrogen storage.

Policy Recommendations

The analysis has led to a wide range of findings and conclusions. Some of the most important are policy recommendations for the California Energy Commission and other agencies and stakeholders to consider. These include:

  • Set a new vision for 2030/2035. Work with other agencies and ARCHES to create a clearer vision for the fuel-cell vehicle and hydrogen market in California for the 2030-2035 timeframe, with specific targets for vehicles, fuel, and infrastructure. Align investments in all areas to grow all elements of the system in parallel.
  • Create new fuel-cell vehicle support systems. For example, the state should link incentives and rebates for fuel-cell vehicle purchases to their incremental costs over diesel vehicles, at least for the next 5 years, until market scale can be achieved. This could also be adopted for battery electric vehicles, to keep the system technology-neutral.
  • Build more and larger stations oriented to heavy-duty vehicles. The state should fund a minimum hydrogen station infrastructure to 2030 with increased emphasis on heavy-duty trucks and some stations (such as highway rest stops) that can provide for both light-duty vehicles and all types of trucks. For heavy-duty trucks, at least 50 high-volume stations (each with a capacity of around 10 tons/day) will be needed by 2030 to support a system of several thousand trucks. Larger and potentially more profitable stations are also needed. Defining these levels is key. The ARCHES partnership is developing targets and specific roll-out plans that state agencies should coordinate with and build upon.
  • Find Champion Fleets. Within the Advanced Clean Fleets policy system, find champion fleets to help support major uptake of specific numbers and types of trucks to ensure demand that aligns with a roll-out of hydrogen stations and supply growth to serve these vehicles.
  • Create a data/tracking system for fuel-cell vehicles and hydrogen systems as they develop and grow, to ensure that investments are aligned and the system is functioning as planned for all stakeholders. This system must be kept up to date with annual statistics on numbers and types of vehicles, their usage and performance, refueling infrastructure characteristics and performance, and a range of other information considered important to fleets and policy makers. This database should be publicly available and well supported by the state.

In summary, a hydrogen production and distribution system that serves the growth of fuel-cell vehicles and other end-uses in California will be key to slowing climate change. It should be both feasible and eventually cost-effective, but navigating growth over the next few years will be key. We will continue our research to support planning and informed policymaking.

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For more the full report that this blog is based on and information on the ongoing hydrogen research at ITS-Davis, click here and here.

Lew Fulton is the Director of Sustainable Transportation Energy Pathways Plus.

Cutting US road sector GHG emissions by 90% or more by 2050 takes both ZEVs and low-carbon fuels

Big reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the transportation sector are needed to limit the magnitude of climate change impacts. Understanding what kinds of policy and market dynamics are at play can help us meet national goals. Our recent study shows that there is an interplay between policy, vehicle types, and fuel sources, and that early investment in zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) could yield big savings and big reductions in GHG emissions, by 2050. Low-carbon fuels for non-electric vehicles will also need to play an important role.

While the United States has not formally adopted long term targets for the sales of ZEVs, including battery electric, plug-in hybrid, and fuel cell vehicles, the Biden administration is a 50% sales share of light-duty ZEVs by 2030 and the US EPA has issued a proposed rule intended to slightly exceed this target.

California is leading the transition with nearly 20% ZEV market share in 2023, and with the most ambitious rules requiring a full transition of LDV sales to ZEV by 2035 and trucks to ZEV by 2040. Many states are following. So far, 16 states have committed to adopting the California LDV ZEV program, and at least 16 have signed the Multi-State Medium- and Heavy-Duty Zero Emission Vehicle MOU. If the Biden administration adopts the CO2 rules as currently drafted all 50 state vehicle markets will be required to move in the same direction. It then seems likely that most states will achieve 100% ZEV sales by 2045, 10 years after California’s target.

We recently published a major report on transitioning the US to ZEVs, along with other steps to achieve a very low carbon road-transport sector in the US by 2050. Our report considers a range of scenarios based on vehicle market and policy trends, extending trajectories to 2050. In each case, overall GHG emissions reductions are achieved sooner with the adoption of low-carbon fuels such as advanced biofuels. Our results show that it is possible to reach a 90% or greater reduction in road GHG emissions by 2050 compared to 2015, even in our slowest ZEV transition scenario.

Major findings include:

  • Fast ZEV uptake works but is challenging. Our Low Carbon California (LC CA) scenario is the most ambitious, reaching 100% ZEV sales nationwide by 2035, and 90% ZEV stock by 2050. It involves achieving 68% and 51% of ZEV sales by 2030 for LDVs and trucks, respectively, which will be challenging over the coming seven years.
  • Very high uptake of low-carbon fuels is another, complementary option. Our Low Carbon 10-to-15-year (LC 10-15) scenario is the least ambitious for ZEV uptake and therefore requires the most liquid fuels to reach a 90% GHG reduction. It does not reach 100% ZEV sales nationwide until 2050, resulting in about 54% ZEV stock in that year. These, along with a high uptake of low-carbon fuels in remaining ICE vehicles, achieves an overall GHG reduction of 90% in 2050.
  • Low GHG electricity and hydrogen are critical for both types of scenarios. All ZEVs must eventually be powered from these energy sources, with the electricity and hydrogen providing net zero carbon energy hopefully well before 2050.
  • The slower the ZEV uptake, the more challenging the biofuels component. The result of slower ZEV uptake is a build-up to very high—possibly infeasible or unsustainable—levels of advanced, very low-carbon biofuel use to ensure ongoing GHG reductions in the transportation energy sector. A transition will be needed from today’s dominant grain and oil-based biofuels to predominantly cellulosic biomass-based fuels to maximize their GHG benefits.
  • All scenarios save money, but ZEVs are likely to be cheaper than low-carbon fuels. Cumulative costs of the alternative scenarios from 2020 to 2050, aggregated across LDVs and trucks, are much lower than the business-as-usual (BAU) scenario. The faster the ZEV transition, the greater the net savings between now and 2050. This is mainly due to the lower need for maintenance and higher fuel efficiency of ZEVs. As ZEV prices fall over time, savings on vehicle costs of the alternative scenarios also contribute to overall savings. However, for some specific vehicle types, such as long-haul (LH) trucks that are dominated by fuel cell vehicles (FCV) with only a modest increase in fuel economy over diesel trucks, there are no fuel cost savings, so overall costs are higher than the BAU scenario.

Our analysis also evaluates battery electric energy vs. hydrogen fuel cells for 10 different vehicle types, including LDVs, trucks and buses of different sizes and types. The general results are shown here, with sales shares varying by vehicle type and year for our BAU and two fastest transition scenarios. Our background technology analysis shows that electric vehicles dominate LDV and most truck sales by 2035. However, for long haul trucks, we find hydrogen fuel cell trucks eventually could dominate. In any case, the ZEV sales share is 100% by 2050 in all our scenarios except the BAU.

Bar chart showing vehicle sales shares across vehicle types, scenarios, technologies, and years.

Comparing the fastest transition (LC CA) to BAU for costs, including purchase, fuels, and maintenance costs of all vehicles, we find that this scenario is more expensive than BAU until around 2030, then has lower net costs, becoming much lower very quickly. These higher “investment” costs pay off with around 54 times the savings after 2028 in a non-cost discounted scenario. Slower ZEV transition scenarios save less money, since it’s the ZEVs—particularly battery electric vehicles—that save money, while biofuels costs are generally higher than fossil fuels.

Plot graph showing total vehicle and operation and maintenance cost differences from 2015 to 2050 for light-duty vehicles and trucks combined for the LC CA scenario and BAU.

As our report describes, there are many details that are uncertain. Continuing research will be needed to better predict outcomes. For example, costs may change over time in unpredictable ways, and will depend to a large degree on scaling and learning. The level of policy support that may be needed to help manage the costs of transition are uncertain. The net societal costs of various types of policies and/or regulatory strategies are important, though often difficult to estimate. Our research over the coming one to two years will focus on better understanding fleet behavior, non-cost decision factors, electricity costs, and the potential role, sourcing, and costs of advanced biofuels as well as e-fuels.

 

Addressing the Impact of Lithium-ion Batteries on Low- and Middle-income Countries

The impacts of lithium-ion batteries on low- and middle-income countries are increasing as the global electric vehicle (EV) market continues to grow. The environmental and health burdens of production mainly affect countries that supply raw materials for EV batteries, while increasing exports of used EVs are going to poorer countries.

In the absence of strategic policies, the positive impacts of new EVs—such as decreased pollution and greenhouse gas emissions—could disproportionately benefit higher-income countries, while the negative impacts of second-hand EVs—such as battery disposal—could fall more on lower-income countries. 

To shed light on this problem and outline possible policy solutions, researchers at ITS-Davis collaborated with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and produced a March 2023 report entitled Electric Vehicle Lithium-ion Batteries in Lower- and Middle-income Countries: Life Cycle Impacts and Issues. Alissa Kendall, lead author and UC Davis professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering highlighted the aims of the study:

“The exponential growth of new EV sales in regions like Europe and the US is exciting to see given the key role that vehicle electrification will play in decarbonizing the transport sector. Second-hand or used vehicles from high-income regions are important sources of lower-cost vehicles in many lower- and middle-income countries, so the rapidly changing fleets have implications for the vehicles available in these regions. Unlike engines and other powertrain components in gasoline and diesel vehicles, which can be repaired, EV batteries aren’t as repairable, and as they age, their capacity and power inevitably fade. We undertook this research to make a first estimate of the magnitude of internationally traded second-hand EVs in the coming decades, and then explored the potential impacts, risks, and benefits to lower- and middle-income countries.”

The report and Figure 1 describe the life-cycle of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs)—from mineral extraction, to use in original vehicles, to secondary use in 2- and 3-wheel vehicles and microgrids, and finally disposal and recycling of components.

Life cycle of lithium-ion batteries in second-hand electric vehicle exports.

Figure1. Life cycle of lithium-ion batteries in second-hand electric vehicle exports.

The impact of second-hand EVs and batteries in lower- and middle-income countries, and whether they provide a net benefit or impact, is a function of the EV battery state-of-health at the time of import, the potential for repairing or replacing the battery, the availability of charging infrastructure, and the energy resources (fossil-fuel or renewable) used to charge batteries.

The authors of the report conducted an extensive literature review, consulted with an expert in a major used-EV importing country (Sri Lanka), and analyzed data from multiple sources on EV sales, imports, and exports. This last endeavor revealed major discrepancies in vehicle numbers reported by paired exporting and importing countries, such as the US and Mexico shown below.

Chart showing second-hand vehicle export and import estimates, with discrepancies in data from paired countries. The number of vehicles going from the US to Mexico surged when the North American Free Trade Agreement began, then fell when policies limiting imports went into effect.

Figure 2. Second-hand vehicle export and import estimates, showing discrepancies in data from paired countries. The number of vehicles going from the US to Mexico surged when the North American Free Trade Agreement began, then fell when policies limiting imports went into effect.

Policy suggestions stemming from this research, include:

  • Upon export, provide information on battery condition, technical information for safe repair and repurposing of batteries, and data on the movement of second-hand vehicles.
  • Ensure that secondary parties other than battery and vehicle manufacturers have the right to repair batteries and EVs and have access to real-time information on battery condition.
  • Create a harmonized reporting system for collecting data at the point of export and import.
  • Institute export and import controls, such as minimal requirements for the state-of-health of batteries.

Such measures can help prevent second-hand EV and battery exports from becoming a least-cost disposal option for exporting markets, burdening rather than benefiting importing markets.

 


Seth Karten is a science writer at ITS-Davis.

UC Davis Secures $20 Million Federal Grant Renewal to Lead the National Center for Sustainable Transportation

National Center for Sustainable Transportation

This week, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced that the National Center for Sustainable Transportation (NCST), housed at the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies (ITS-Davis), would receive $20 million to lead a group of seven universities studying transportation effects on the environment. The award reinforces UC Davis’ standing as the nation’s leading university center on sustainable transportation.

The funding was granted as part of the Department of Transportation’s University Transportation Center (UTC) program. This year’s grant competition included a total of 230 applications, representing the largest number of applications ever submitted in the 35-year history of the UTC Program. The NCST is one of only five national transportation centers awarded under the UTC program, and the only one focused on the DOT research priority of Preserving the Environment.

The NCST’s $20 million grant ($4 million per year over 5 years) will allow researchers at UC Davis and other consortium member universities to focus on accelerating equitable decarbonization that benefits both the transportation system and the well-being of people in overburdened and historically disadvantaged communities. Research activities will concentrate in three critical domains: vehicle technology, infrastructure provision, and reshaping travel demand to accelerate reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

“Finding a way to decarbonize transportation that does not exacerbate existing inequities is one of the most significant societal challenges we face,” said UC Davis Professor Susan Handy, Director of the NCST. “I am thrilled that we will have the opportunity to work with the U.S. Department of Transportation on this challenge and continue the important work we’ve been doing for the last nine years. With the new grant, we will expand our focus on equity and justice and launch new initiatives on rural mobility, vehicle electrification, and sustainable freight.”

The new grant also enables the NCST to expand its consortium. Professor Handy continued, “We are delighted to welcome Texas Southern University to our partnership.” TSU joins the original members of the NCST consortium: California State University Long Beach, Georgia Institute of Technology, University of California Riverside, University of Southern California, and University of Vermont.

“TSU is honored to join the highly prestigious team of NCST and is truly excited for the opportunity to make contributions to research and education that promote a sustainable and equitable transportation development,” said Lei Yu, Professor of Transportation Studies and Director of TSU’s Innovative Transportation Research Institute (ITRI).

This round of funding marks the second time UC Davis has been able to renew its status as the host of the National Center for Sustainable Transportation. Since its establishment in 2013, the NCST has helped to organize and fund research addressing urgent and critical transportation challenges, and its researchers have partnered with thought leaders and stakeholder groups to provide national leadership for advancing an environmentally sustainable transportation system.

“ITS-Davis is proud and honored to receive this award, recognizing our decades-long commitment to sustainable transportation,” said UC Davis Professor Dan Sperling, Founding Director of ITS-Davis. “Kudos to Susan Handy, our fearless leader of the Center since the first award from the DOT in 2013. We are on a mission to transition our transportation system to a more equitable, environmental, and economically sustainable future—in the U.S. and globally.”

The NCST provides national leadership in advancing environmentally sustainable transportation through cutting-edge research, direct policy engagement, and education of our future leaders. For more information on the center, visit: https://ncst.ucdavis.edu/

For more information on the announcement by the U.S. Department of Transportation, visit: https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/us-department-transportation-funds-innovative-research-providing-vital-training-next

 

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Design Strategies in Shared Vehicles to Prevent Disease Transmission

Ventilation figure

Ventilation figure

Through the evolving phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, most of us have had to consider, wonder, and worry how safe we or our personal contacts are when riding in vehicles with other people. The resulting decisions about whether to ride or work on a mode of transportation have far-reaching impacts: on individuals’ income, education, and social life, and, collectively, on transportation equity, road congestion, pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions. A new study from ITS-Davis will help researchers, transportation service providers, policymakers, and the public determine how well different design features in vehicles—such as ventilation and physical barriers—can prevent transmission of COVID-19 and other contagious diseases.

The study provides a comprehensive classification system for existing and proposed design strategies for vehicles that are used by multiple individuals at the same time (“pooled modes”) or one after another (“shared modes”). After conducting a literature search, the researchers classified design elements in modes including buses, trains, subways, ride-hailing cars and taxis, airplanes, ferries, and shared cars, bikes, and scooters.

The classification includes the following 12 categories:

  • Seating configuration—e.g., spreading out or changing the direction of seats
  • Pathways—e.g., changing how passengers move about and their proximity to drivers or other passengers
  • Barriers
  • Ventilation and air circulation
  • Air filtration and cleaning
  • Onboard surface sanitization—equipment installed in the vehicle that controls cleaning processes (e.g., ultraviolet light, heat, chemicals, or air)
  • Hygienic materials—easy to clean materials that are not porous
  • Hygienic construction—e.g., minimizing seams and joints; detachable or movable trays and seats to facilitate cleaning
  • Touchless technology
  • PPE (personal protective equipment) and supply provisioning
  • Communication and monitoring—e.g., public announcements to follow guidelines, displays that report on occupancy levels or air flow
  • Multimodal support —e.g., providing bike/scooter racks to shorten rides in pooled and shared modes

The published study includes an illustrated guide to these categories in a downloadable appendix, and it classifies 12 mechanisms through which each of the above strategies work, such as by physical distancing or increased air exchange.

A second part of the study is a survey of experts’ opinions on which design strategies may be most effective for reducing COVID transmission and where gaps in knowledge remain. The experts included physicians, engineers, epidemiologists, and social scientists with public health and communications backgrounds. Not surprisingly, they prioritized strategies that worked through increased air exchange, air flow, and air cleaning. The social scientists also emphasized the importance of affecting perceived safety, through education and communications, to make riders aware of strategies that are unfamiliar or, like air filtration, not visible.

Research and guidance on effective measures to reduce disease transmission on shared and pooled transportation has been published. However, much of the guidance focuses on behavioral rather than design interventions. And much of the design guidance has been industry specific, coming from disparate sources, such as the Centers for Disease Control, Department of Transportation, Occupational Health and Safety Administration, and American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers. The new classification system builds on the earlier work and aims to make future research and guidance more widely applicable and robust.

A clear classification system should allow for a better understanding and comparative evaluation of a multitude of design possibilities. Evaluating which strategies are most effective and how they are perceived by the public can inform budgeting decisions by transportation providers and help raise ridership on pooled and shared modes. Many of these modes are key to transportation equity, employment of essential workers, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.


Additional information: article in Transportation Research Recordproject web page.

Seth Karten is a science writer at ITS-Davis.

Angela Sanguinetti is a research environmental psychologist at ITS-Davis.

Beth Ferguson, Assistant Professor in the Department of Design at UC Davis, contributed significantly to the study described here as a co-principal investigator with Dr. Sanguinetti.

The study was made possible through funding received by the University of California Institute of Transportation Studies from the State of California through the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 (Senate Bill 1).

Powering Zero Emission Transitions: ITS-Davis Launches California-India Partnership

India ZEVPittsburgh, Pennsylvania – At the 13th Clean Energy Ministerial and Global Clean Energy Action Forum held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 21-23 September 2022, ITS-Davis announced the establishment of a new California-India partnership which aims to advance the research and policy implementation focus of transportation decarbonization efforts in India and California, providing an opportunity to engage policymakers globally in well-orchestrated efforts.

“The role of California as a state government and collaboration with potential other Indian states in addition to the Government of India, can provide a unique opportunity to leverage sub-national policy design as a key lever for vehicle electrification targets, and more importantly, harness the role of states as key laboratories of innovation,” said Dr Lewis Fulton, who will help lead the center. The new India ZEV Research Centre, will be supported by the Climateworks Foundation and the Hewlett Foundation. ITS-Davis also announced a strategic partnership with WRI India on promoting ZEV transitions in India and strengthening state-level action.

Aditya Ramji, who has helped orchestrate the creation of the new center, presented a briefing paper which finds that state level policies can play a very important role in guiding India to high ZEV adoption, and target setting can provide a clear market signal. The analysis provides a bottom-up estimate of cumulative EV ambitions of states, and its role in defining potential electrification scenarios for India and other supporting regulations. If the targets of only those states that have a notified EV policy are accounted for, by 2030 India can potentially achieve 18% electrification of new two-wheeler sales, 58% of new three-wheeler sales, 66% of new PV sales and 20% of new LCV sales.

India ZEV

The launch of the new center was followed by a roundtable discussion hosted by ITS-Davis in partnership with the Embassy of India, Washington D.C. and Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL), on “Accelerating ZEV Transitions: California India Policy Collaboration.” Liane Randolph, Chair, California Air Resources Board, led the discussion by noting that California has recently mandated 100% ZEVs in light-duty vehicles by 2035, through the Advanced Clean Cars II rule. It also has an ambition to promote Zero Emission Trucking, as trucks while forming about 5% of the fleet in the state, contribute to over half of the particulate emissions in California, a challenge faced by India too. The two regions can collaborate not only on ZEV policy challenges but also of rehabilitating workforce through these transitions.

Mr Abhay Bakre, Director General, Bureau of Energy Efficiency, Government of India commented, “India has recently announced two PLI Schemes to advance EV and cell manufacturing with incentives worth $4 billion, and the BEE is working on supporting fuel economy norms for hard-to-abate sectors like medium and heavy-duty trucking. Learnings from the California experience can be very useful for India.”

Ambassador Ranganathan, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of India, Washington DC, added, “As India positions itself as a leader in the global ZEV transition, there is an opportunity to facilitate cross-regional learnings. The State of California is probably the only regional government to have the most comprehensive and oldest ZEV policy ecosystem. The learnings from the California experience would offer India an opportunity to consider a mix of policies that would support ZEV adoption while simultaneously spurring the development of a nascent industry that can bring with it important industrial growth.”

Further remarks by Donald Hillebrand, representing the US Department of Energy, highlighted strategic areas of cooperation between the US and India on clean transportation including biofuels, hydrogen, and EV technology including battery localization and recycling. He and Dr Ravi Kota (Minister, Economic), Embassy of India jointly highlighted sharing of best practices between the two countries such as city and state level cooperation and building common analytical tools including Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) and technical cost models. Dr Kota also highlighted the opportunity for California to learn from practical action in India at scale and size.

For more information about the new India ZEV Research Centre and to follow along with their research, visit: indiazev.ucdavis.edu.


For further details, contact:

Aditya Ramji (adiramji@ucdavis.edu)
Sam Chiu (sachiu@ucdavis.edu)

Get in the Know About California Climate and Transportation Policy

Signing bill into law

It’s September–the month when Californians (especially policy wonks) wait with bated breath for the Governor’s end-of-the-month deadline for signing or vetoing bills. This year, Governor Newsom has championed a portfolio of ambitious climate bills and the Legislature has delivered them, with measures seeking to cut carbon from the electricity grid, transportation, buildings, natural lands, and industry. While nothing is final until the bills are signed, the time and effort the Governor’s Office has spent on these bills over the last month presages a strong chance that they will be signed into law.

Climate Planning Bills

First, let’s speak to two headline bills that escalate California’s ambitious climate policy. AB 1279 codifies the current target of carbon neutrality by 2045 into state law, where it was previously an executive order. It also specifies that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions must be at least 85% below 1990 levels by that time, ensuring that no more than 15% of the goal could be met by carbon capture and sequestration, natural land uptake, or offsets.

SB 1020 enhances the state’s commitment to switching to zero-emission sources of electricity by specifying timelines and milestones. Existing law requires the state to supply 100% of its electricity from non-emitting sources—such as wind, solar, hydroelectric, geothermal, or nuclear—by 2045. SB 1020 requires that 90% of electricity come from such sources by 2035, and 95% by 2040, ensuring that utilities make significant progress immediately, while recognizing that switching the last 5–10% of supply over to clean sources may be more challenging than earlier parts of the transition.

Several other bills help define how the state would achieve its GHG targets. AB 2438 aligns transportation spending with California’s climate goals, AB 1322 requires the California Air Resources Board to map a plan to reduce emissions from commercial aviation to align with state goals and get 20% of aviation fuel from sustainable sources by 2030. SB 1137 prevents drilling to create new petroleum wells, or expand old ones, within 3200 feet of schools, hospitals, residential areas, or other sensitive sites. These, combined with many others, help align state policies with the strategy for achieving carbon neutrality in transportation laid out by a research team from UC Davis, UC Berkeley, and UC Irvine in a major report released last year.

Electric Vehicle Bills

Electric vehicle legislation advanced in the legislature, and the Governor will have a chance to consider AB 1738, which would empower the California Department of Housing and Community Development to come up with standards for EV charger installations for California homes. San Francisco has already set requirements for new buildings to include EV-ready parking spaces. But solidifying statewide standards is critical, given that most EV owners charge at home and home is the most influential charging location affecting the decision to purchase and continue owning an EV. Ensuring equitable EV access was a big focus of the legislature this year. If signed, SB 1382 will reform the state’s Clean Cars 4 All program to support more outreach to encourage people with low-incomes to buy EVs with state rebates, and it also adds additional tax benefits as an incentive.

Car Free California

Lawmakers are proposing to just pay people to give up their cars. SB 1230 would reform the Clean Cars 4 All program, including benefits for qualifying Californians who do not have a car by providing a “mobility option” voucher for transit or shared mobility services like bikeshare or scooter share. And if vouchers weren’t incentive enough to shed their vehicles, SB 457 takes it a step further, offering Californians cash for not driving. The bill will give a $1,000 tax credit to car-free households in the state. Together these two programs would put some real money in the pockets of car-free California households.

Bicycle and Pedestrian Bills

Perhaps some people who receive the car free bonuses will buy an e-bike and really max their state kickbacks. AB 117 would offer CARB $10 million to get a new and improved e-bike incentive program off the ground, separate from the state’s clean vehicle rebate program, where it is housed currently. Other e-bike bills include AB 1909, which would update bike law to authorize local governments to decide whether e-bikes can operate on bike trails (taking this authority from the state). On the pedestrian side, AB 2147 would decriminalize jaywalking, “unless a reasonably careful person would realize there is an immediate danger of collision with a moving vehicle or other device moving exclusively by human power.” According to research by Jesus Barajas, jaywalking policies have been historical tools for discriminatory enforcement against people who walk, and especially people of color.

Public transportation Bills

In the wake of many local transit agencies providing free rides in the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic, state lawmakers were actively debating how to make public transit free for Californians who need it most. The Governor will be considering AB 1919, which would provide funding to local agencies to offer a 5-year pilot for college and K-12 students to get free transit passes. A related transit bill, SB 942 would allow agencies to use certain existing funds for more discretionary purposes, including for free passes. Check out this Freakonomics episode featuring our UCLA colleague Brian Taylor explaining some of the pros and cons of fare-free transit.

Sustainable Land Use Planning Bills

There are also several sustainable planning bills for the Governor to consider. SB 922 would make it easier to build bike lanes, pedestrian projects, and transit, thanks to a streamlined environmental review process. Expediting these types of transportation investments can create a virtuous cycle that enables people to drive less. As Professor Susan Handy stated, “land use patterns shape travel behavior, transport investments shape land use patterns, transport is itself a sizable land use, and these relationships are self-reinforcing.” Another bill addressing the tension between land use and transportation is AB 2438, which seeks to align transportation projects with state plans. This bill will touch on some of the recommendations in the recent report by Betty Deakin that evaluated whether state planning efforts can succeed at reaching state climate goals. Other land use bills address parking, which is another hot (asphalt) topic. AB 2097 would restrict local governments from requiring parking minimums. This is another sign of research-backed policy, onsite parking has been shown to correlate with car ownership and use.

Bills that failed to get out of the Legislature

Some bills won’t get to the Governor’s desk. SB 917, the so-called “Seamless Transit Transformation Act” failed to make it out of its final committee. This bill aimed to streamline the San Francisco Bay Area’s 27 transit districts. According to the sponsor of the bill, Seamless Bay Area, it’s possible that the bill failed because many of the integration requirements are already being planned by regional regulators. Another bill that failed to get out of the legislature (dying in a nail-biter moment in its final committee) is AB 2133, which proposed to strengthen climate plans to strive for a 2030 goal of 55% of 1990 emissions levels (up from the 40% already required by law).

Looking Back to Inform Looking Forward

It’s important to note that all of these bills come on the heels of a record-setting budget package that was signed by the Governor in late June (with budget trailer bills tacked on in July). During the weeks of budget negotiations, lawmakers outlined plans to spend $308 billion (which includes a surplus of $49 billion more than initially projected), 6.4% of this to be spent on transportation. Big ticket items include $15 billion for the next four years of transportation infrastructure, $7.7 billion for transit, $4.2 billion for high-speed rail, $1.2 billion for goods movement and ports, and $1 billion for making active modes more safe and attractive. These historic investments are locked in, but it remains to be seen which transportation-related bills from this legislative session will receive the Governor’s signature and benefit from that windfall budget.

[UPDATE: AB 1919 was vetoed by the Governor on September 13th. A veto statement can be found here.]


Mollie Cohen D’Agostino is Policy Director at the UC Davis Policy Institute for Energy, Environment, and the Economy (PIEEE)

Colin Murphy is Deputy Director at PIEEE

Josh Stark is Policy Analyst at PIEEE