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This project team conducted a life-cycle-based environmental evaluation of new, lightweight materials (e.g., titanium, magnesium) used in two concept 3XVs -- i.e., automobiles that are three times more fuel efficient than today's automobiles -- that are being designed and developed in support of the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV) program. The two concept vehicles studied were the DaimlerChrysler ESX2 and the Ford P2000. Data for this research were drawn from a wide range of sources, including: the two automobile manufacturers; automobile industry reports; government and proprietary databases; past life-cycle assessments; interviews with industry experts; and models.

Fuel cells have attracted a great deal of attention in the last few years as potential replacements for conventional gasoline- or diesel-powered internal combustion engines. This study evaluated the potential life-cycle environmental impacts of a fuel cell vehicle (FCV) using a 50 kW proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell system (both with and without a fuel reformer), and compared them with those of a gasoline-fueled internal combustion engine vehicle (ICEV). The fuels considered for the fuel cell systems were direct hydrogen (without reformer), and methanol and gasoline (with reformer). Exclusive of the propulsion systems, the rest of the vehicle was assumed to be the same across all the profiles.