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As a part of the FutureTruck 2000 advanced technology student vehicle competition sponsored by the US Department of Energy and General Motors, West Virginia University has converted a full-size sport utility vehicle into a high fuel efficiency, low emissions vehicle. The environmental impact of the Chevrolet Suburban SUV, in terms of both greenhouse gas emissions and exhaust emissions, was reduced through hybridization without losing any of the functionality and utility of the base vehicle. The approach taken was one of using a high efficiency, state-of-the-art direct injection, turbocharged diesel engine coupled to a high output electric traction motor for power assist and to recover regenerative braking energy. The vehicle employs a state-of-the-art combination lean NOx catalyst, oxidation catalyst and particulate filter to ensure low exhaust emissions.

Pending GHG emissions reduction legislation for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles will require the development of engines and powertrains with significantly increased mechanical and electronic complexity. Increasing powertrain efficiency will require the simulation, control and calibration of an expanding number of highly interdependent air, fuel, exhaust, combustion and energy transfer subsystems. As a result of these increases in complexity, engine and powertrain control is becoming significantly more sophisticated and costly to develop and difficult to optimize. The high cost of developing engines and powertrain systems that demonstrate greater fuel efficiency and emissions benefits than the engines of today, is undeniable. The increased calibration burden and the complexity of optimization require the development and adoption of entirely new methods for transient engine calibration and optimization to achieve maximum vehicle fuel efficiency and lowest regulated emissions.