Washington, DC—The U.S. Chamber Institute for 21st Century Energy hosted a dialogue for 100 attendees on cutting-edge automotive technologies on Wednesday, January 23. Biofuels, hybrid and “plug-in” hybrid vehicles, hydrogen fuel cells, and advanced internal combustion engines were among the technologies discussed by senior officials from Chrysler, the Edison Electric Institute, Exxon Mobil, Ford, General Motors, the Natural Resources Defense Council, Toyota, and the U.S. Department of Energy. In summarizing key themes emerging from Future Automotive Technologies, former Energy Under Secretary and Energy Institute policy consultant David Garman said that there are a variety of promising technologies that can reduce emissions and our dependence on foreign oil, but that they can only have a substantial impact if they are widely adopted. “Technological breakthroughs in the laboratory mean little unless they can be widely successful in the marketplace,” Garman said. “We can never forget the consumer and the importance of consumer choice. Moreover, the debate on automotive technologies should not be about pitting different technologies, such as electric drive or diesel vehicles, against each other. There is a role for both in meeting the demands of different consumers with different needs.” Another key theme was that fuels such as cellulosic biofuels, electricity and hydrogen can play significant roles in our energy future, “but we’re not done improving the internal combustion engine yet,” Garman said. Plug-in hybrid vehicles hold particular promise in reducing the use of foreign petroleum, according to many of the participants. However, there is a pressing need to reduce the cost and improve the durability of the high energy lithium-ion batteries that are an enabling technology for plug-in hybrids and advanced electric vehicles. General James L. Jones, USMC (Ret.), President and CEO of the Institute, praised all the participants in the seminar for engaging in a dialogue that “should lead the next President and Congress to adopt a comprehensive, common-sense energy policy.” A cohesive energy strategy is critical to “ensure that the United States retains its position of global leadership and influence in the 21st Century,” Jones said.
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