669055300

United States. Government Accountability Office

NTL-ECONOMICS AND FINANCE-ECONOMICS AND FINANCE ; NTL-LAWS AND REGULATIONS-Federal Laws ; NTL-LAWS AND REGULATIONS-Federal Standards and Rules ; NTL-PLANNING AND POLICY-PLANNING AND POLICY

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The U.S. transportation sector relies almost exclusively on oil; as a result, it causes about a third of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions. Advanced technology vehicles powered by alternative fuels, such as electricity and ethanol, are one way to reduce oil consumption. The federal government set a goal for federal agencies to use plug-in hybrid electric vehicles—vehicles that run on both gasoline and batteries charged by connecting a plug into an electric power source—as they become available at a reasonable cost. This goal is on top of other requirements agencies must meet for conserving energy. In response to a request, GAO examined the (1) potential benefits of plug-ins, (2) factors affecting the availability of plug-ins, and (3) challenges to incorporating plug-ins into the federal fleet. GAO reviewed literature on plug-ins, federal legislation, and agency policies and interviewed federal officials, experts, and industry stakeholders, including auto and battery manufacturers.

US Transportation Collection