ORNL researchers have produced and maintained the Department of Energy’s which serves as the definitive mobility trend guide for industry, policymakers, researchers and consumers. Data on the nation’s petroleum consumption and energy use across all modes of transportation—from cars and trucks and motorcycles to cargo ships, rideshares and even motorized scooters—has been maintained for more than 40 years by ORNL researchers based at DOE’s National Transportation Research Center.
The book also serves as the reference for the Transportation Fact of the Week, distributed weekly by ORNL through DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy website. Decades of data compiled from the book have helped inform the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on policy decisions that support clean energy by setting limits on the amount of pollution a vehicle or engine can emit. The data has also supported the implementation of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Corporate Average Fuel Economy, or CAFE, standards. In 1991, there were only two light-duty alternative fuel vehicles on the market. By 2023, 131 different models were available for consumers to choose from, with 89% of them plug-in electric vehicles, 8% fueled by E85, and 3% hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.