Trends in Transportation - Hydrogen and Fuel Cells: Advances in Transportation and Power - page 157

the present mix with more large sport utility vehicles, which are about
30% of new car purchases.
Import cars have also not increased fuel economy. In 1992, the
American car buyer could purchase some 26 compact cars that got at
least 30 miles per gallon, but this number has dropped to less than ten.
As automakers compete for market share, their interests may diverge on
design and economy issues.
PNGV had the involvement of nineteen federal government labs.
The Department of Energy (DOE) provided about two-thirds of the
federal support for PNGV research and development efforts. In 2003,
PNGV was transformed into the FreedomCAR program with the focus on
research and development in fuel cells and hydrogen infrastructures and
technologies.
The DOE now has a fuel cell automotive program and the
government has a somewhat abstruse alternative fuels approach. DOE's
role is to support the research that validates the technology. It is up to the
automakers to use it in vehicles and put it in the dealer's showrooms.
THE FREEDOM CAR PROGRAM
The Freedom CAR program is a partnership between DOE and the
U.S. automobile manufacturers to promote the development of fuel cells
and hydrogen as a primary fuel for cars and trucks, as part of an effort
to reduce American dependence on foreign oil. The program involves
eleven sectors of the fuel cell and auto industries. Under Freedom CAR,
the government and the private sector will fund research into advanced,
efficient fuel cell technology that uses hydrogen to power automobiles
without creating any pollution. The plan is rooted in President Bush's call
issued in the National Energy Plan, to reduce American reliance on foreign
oil through a balance of domestic energy production and technology to
promote greater energy efficiency.
Freedom CAR isn't an automobile it's a new approach to powering
the cars of the future. The C-A-R in Freedom CAR stands for Cooperative
Automotive Research.
Freedom CAR is a long-term research program aimed at developing
a fuel cell operating system for tomorrow's cars and trucks. It looks to
fundamental research and development. Freedom CAR replaces and greatly
improves upon the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicle program.