Transportation Research News
Explore our archive of transportation and mobility research news stories.
Dec. 28, 2022
Industries transitioning to renewable energy need the ability to analyze economic performance of various hydrogen production pathways. H2A-Lite can help.
Dec. 28, 2022
NREL researchers and staff reached countless goals and achieved numerous successes in science, partnerships, and commercialization in 2022. Here are just a few of the highlights.
Dec. 6, 2022
Transit agencies across the country conduct detailed passenger studies and surveys to better understand transit passenger trends. The data from many of these studies are now housed in the transit passenger data section of NREL's Transportation Secure Data Center.
Dec. 1, 2022
NREL is enthusiastically supporting development of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) technologies, and a new collaboration with the U.S. Air Force is taking that research to new heights.
Nov. 17, 2022
Developing a secure supply chain—from material extraction to manufacturing battery cells and packs—is essential for a competitive edge in lithium-ion domestic and global markets.
Nov. 11, 2022
Finding readily available and easily accessible data sets is a common challenge in the research community. DOE's Livewire Data Platform's growing catalog of transportation and mobility-related projects helps address this need by providing researchers with a unified platform to connect with each other and easily find data sets.
Nov. 10, 2022
Renewable fuels still carry a high burden of proof: They need to be high performing, efficient, and cost-effective. Analysis performed by national laboratory researchers has uncovered a slate of biofuels produced from organic materials, including plants and agricultural waste, that have the potential to replace petroleum-derived fuel.
Nov. 3, 2022
The clean energy revolution can only succeed if U.S. manufacturers have the materials, components, infrastructure, and other resources needed to meet ambitious emissions-reduction targets. New supply chain strategies are helping make the production of renewable energy technologies as sustainable as their operation.
Nov. 3, 2022
NREL-authored reports provided insights on supply chain issues related to solar photovoltaic, wind power, energy storage, semiconductor, and hydrogen fuel cell and electrolyzer technologies.
Oct. 19, 2022
In response to daunting climate challenges, battery researchers are mobilizing to increase collaboration and data sharing. Top battery researchers across the globe—including at NREL—are joining an ambitious movement to spur technology development through a shared Battery Data Genome.
Oct. 3, 2022
Nothing says "fossil fuel" like a 400-ton mining rig, but that reality may be fading behind in the dust as the off-road sector strives for carbon-free operation.
Sept. 30, 2022
With the modern transition to renewable energy and electrified transportation, power electronics have the potential to enable seamless integration of renewable energy resources with the electric grid. Take a virtual 360-degree tour of NREL's power electronics capabilities.
Sept. 22, 2022
Researchers at three institutions—NREL, MIT, and Washington State University—report success in using lignin as a path toward a drop-in 100% sustainable aviation fuel. Other parts of plants are used for biofuels, but lignin has been largely overlooked because of the difficulties in breaking it down chemically and converting it into useful products.
Sept. 21, 2022
Researchers at NREL have devised an innovative way to quantify and understand mobility quality and equity issues: the Mobility Energy Productivity (MEP) tool. MEP distills three major components of mobility--time, cost, and energy--into a simple, easy-to-read score.
Sept. 19, 2022
As electric vehicle (EV) adoption increasingly gains momentum, NREL is collaborating with Hyundai Motor Company to ensure EV batteries can safely and reliably go the distance.
Aug. 30, 2022
Researchers from NREL and various DOE national laboratories recently participated in a collaborative electrochemical energy storage workshop hosted by the United Kingdom's Faraday Institution.
Aug. 25, 2022
On Aug. 9-10, 2022, NREL convened its sixth Partner Forum at its Golden, Colorado, campus, pulling together public and private sector leaders to collaboratively explore solutions for sustainable aviation.
Aug. 24, 2022
A cooperative research project with Toyota will study the scaling and integration of fuel cell systems for stationary power generation.
Aug. 11, 2022
New sustainable aviation technologies are providing actionable pathways for lowering greenhouse gas emissions for aircraft travel. Advancements in electrification and fueling are one exciting aspect, but research at NREL goes beyond power generation with a holistic approach to optimize energy use throughout the entire system design.
Aug. 10, 2022
This week, aviation industry experts join with the nation's top energy researchers to discuss strategies for cleaner air transportation that makes the nation less reliant on traditional fossil fuels while slowing climate change.
Aug. 8, 2022
A critical pathway for producing large quantities of low- to negative-carbon sustainable aviation fuel is enroute to market following a collaborative research and development agreement between NREL and Alder Fuels.
Aug. 8, 2022
NREL and DFW Airport have committed to working from the ground up at the system level on sustainability, decarbonization, and energy-efficiency overhauls, designing upgrades and implementations that can integrate intelligently across the board.
July 28, 2022
In recognition of his work, NREL recently named Kandler Smith a Distinguished Member of Research Staff for his world-class contributions in battery lifetime modeling, prediction, optimization, and design.
July 27, 2022
Bakers ferment dough for a well-risen loaf of bread. Brewers ferment wheat and barley for a smooth, malty glass of beer. And as nature's foremost bakers and brewers, some microbes can do even more.
July 20, 2022
Johney Green, associate laboratory director for Mechanical and Thermal Engineering Sciences at NREL, was appointed Chairman of The National GEM Consortium Board of Directors on July 18, 2022. GEM is a 45-year-old national nonprofit organization whose vision is to make scientific impact through underrepresented minority STEM talent in the United States.
July 20, 2022
With integrated analysis from NREL, the FAA can create safety standards and recommend efficient and resilient airport infrastructure able to support electrified aircraft designs.
July 15, 2022
From sustainable fuels to airport infrastructure analysis to next-gen aircraft, NREL offers solutions for lowering emissions in a sector that is among the most difficult to decarbonize.
July 11, 2022
The transportation sector is one of the largest contributors to the nation's carbon emissions. The fastest-growing form of electric vehicle made to help combat climate change, however, is not an electric car.
June 15, 2022
Just as the wheels keep turning on cars, trucks, and trains, the planet keeps spinning in its orbit. All the while, climate change is accelerating, along with the dire need to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions responsible for global warming.
June 8, 2022
As the culmination of two years of work on the Innovating High Throughput Hydrogen Stations (IHS) Project, NREL researchers have successfully demonstrated high-flow-rate hydrogen fueling into a heavy-duty (HD) vehicle system.
June 2, 2022
Jerry Davis has been selected as the new Laboratory Program Manager for two of NREL's leading research capabilities: the Advanced Research on Integrated Energy Systems (ARIES) research platform and the Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF).
June 1, 2022
A surprisingly high number of auto accidents—21% of all car crashes—occur at intersections with traffic lights. While these incidents are usually caused by driver error, new technology linked to roadway infrastructure can help prevent crashes resulting from human lapses of judgment.
June 1, 2022
With fuel prices soaring, a new government-industry partnership based at NREL plans to shift the aviation market further away from oil fields and closer to the farmlands.
May 26, 2022
Trick question: What is your nearest airport? You might think of the urban hub you always catch flights from, even if that airport is hours away.
May 25, 2022
Martin Keller, director of NREL, said he expects the Flatirons Campus near Boulder, Colorado, will reach net zero emissions annually by the end of fiscal year 2023 and the South Table Mountain Campus outside Golden, Colorado, to hit that achievement three years later.
May 24, 2022
Drastically increasing fleet and consumer use of electric vehicles (EVs) and developing energy storage solutions for renewable energy generation and resilience are key strategies the Biden administration touts to slash national transportation emissions and curtail climate change.
May 19, 2022
Among NREL's many funding agencies, the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) funds what is perhaps some of NREL's most innovative work.
May 18, 2022
NREL's Autonomous Energy Systems work has been used commercially, applied in cross-cutting demonstrations, and is continually pushing the scientific edge of controls and optimization.
May 16, 2022
At NREL, there is a common consensus that X-ray imaging techniques hold the key to unlocking critical information about the performance of energy storage systems.
May 12, 2022
Researchers from NREL are working to make sure that New York City's electric vehicle charging network and local utility can meet the eventual demands of more than 100,000 electric cars for hire.
May 11, 2022
The Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling Prize allows entrepreneurs to access state-of-the-art research facilities as technical partners in collaboration within the American-Made Network.
May 6, 2022
Amid global supply chain delays and semiconductor shortages, NREL researchers use creative problem-solving to deploy two high-performance computing solutions within one year.
May 5, 2022
Fifteen researchers across NREL have been awarded the Distinguished Member of Research Staff designation for their exemplary contributions to NREL's mission, the respect they have earned from peers around the world, and their leadership at the laboratory and beyond.
May 5, 2022
Perovskite materials may hold the potential to play an important role in a process to produce hydrogen in a renewable manner, according to an analysis from scientists at NREL.
April 29, 2022
In early April, members of the electric vehicle industry gathered at NREL to evaluate enhanced cybersecurity for the connections between electric vehicles and charging infrastructure.
April 7, 2022
NREL researchers are revolutionizing clean energy mobility beyond light-duty electric vehicles by building advanced power electronics systems that control the flow of electricity to propel large and advanced electric machines, including those used in planes, trains, and heavy-duty transportation.
April 4, 2022
Rising temperatures and sea levels. More frequent and severe hurricanes, wildfires, floods, and droughts. Deteriorating air and water quality. These trends can be traced back to climate change—with cities facing disproportionate risks due to rapid population growth.
April 4, 2022
Some have called 2023 the "year of the electric vehicle (EV)," noting the dozens of new battery-powered models set to come available in the United States across all vehicle classes.
April 1, 2022
The recently released 2021 annual reports for the Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIF), the Advanced Research on Integrated Energy Systems (ARIES) research platform, and Advanced Computing offer a snapshot of the impact of NREL research: highlights from the diverse projects, publications, patents, partnerships, and technical breakthroughs realized in the last year.
March 31, 2022
NREL Senior Research Fellow Bob McCormick was recently recognized with one of the highest honors by the American Chemical Society, known as the Henry H. Storch Award in Energy Chemistry for his research on alternative and low-carbon fuels, including the chemistry of fuel-engine interactions.
March 24, 2022
Underserved populations in urban neighborhoods and remote rural communities, alike, often have few transportation options. While the underlying conditions differ, wherever mobility inequity surfaces it diminishes peoples' opportunities for success and quality of life.
March 24, 2022
Mobility limitations present major impediments to securing a better job, home, education, healthcare, and overall quality of life. Learn how NREL researchers are working with partners in underserved communities to identify energy-efficient transportation solutions that can increase mobility equity.
March 24, 2022
Researchers at NREL are leading the development of new lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery designs specific to stationary storage requirements.
Feb. 17, 2022
The transportation industry is on the cusp of rapid evolution, with vehicle electrification, automation, and ride sharing transforming the age-old paradigm of privately owned and operated gasoline vehicles.
Feb. 14, 2022
As the predominant choice for high-powered personal electronics, electric vehicles, and grid-scale storage solutions, lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries continue to dominate the marketplace. To meet clean energy goals of the future, researchers must develop safe and sustainable recycling processes for these batteries.
Feb. 11, 2022
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) researchers will contribute their expertise in electrified transportation systems to help create a new federal office focused on strategically and equitably expanding electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure throughout the United States.
Jan. 27, 2022
Ten times stronger than steel, nearly half the weight of aluminum, far stiffer than fiberglass—carbon fiber carries a package of advantages, making it a preferred material for use in luxury sedans and Formula One racecars alike.
Jan. 25, 2022
The next frontier of mobility aims to ascend to new heights with on-demand air travel integrated with existing transit. This vision is backed by new research, which shows aerial mobility options are nearly ready for takeoff and poised to transform public transit in cities worldwide.
Jan. 10, 2022
Over the past year, NREL researchers have pioneered innovative, interdisciplinary, and integrated research and development for technology advancements in electrochemical, molecular, thermal, and mechanical energy storage systems.
Jan. 10, 2022
A team at NREL completed a literature review on the potential value of electric vehicle (EV) managed charging. Findings provide a complete look at how EVs and the grid could work together as the electric and transportation sectors become intertwined.
