Specialized Surveys

How will electric, hybrid electric, and alternative-fuel vehicles be accepted by the public? What characteristics will these vehicles have? How much will they cost? Decision-makers at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and other organizations need answers to these questions as they develop plans for research and development policies and investments.

Argonne National Laboratory performs specialized technology surveys to gather information on characteristics, costs, and market potential of advanced vehicles. Data from these surveys are used to improve and support analytic tools for technology evaluation and strategic planning. One approach is the Delphi survey, which collects opinions from experts in a particular field through a questionnaire, summarizes that information, and presents it to the experts for their review. Argonne also uses the stated preference survey method, which gathers consumer information.

Argonne researchers partnered with the Society of Automotive Engineers to conduct a two-stage, worldwide Delphi study of the costs and operating characteristics of electric and hybrid electric vehicles for the years 2000 through 2020. The study asked about vehicle attributes, current state of the technology, possible advancements, costs, and market potential. Opinions on critical components, such as batteries, electric drive systems, and hybrid vehicle engines, were also sought.

Argonne researchers also conducted a stated preference survey to obtain information on consumer preferences for alternative-fuel vehicles (AFVs) that would result from DOE-sponsored research. The University of California's Institute for Transportation Studies conducted a similar survey of California residents. Argonne has expanded the knowledge base by surveying households in the continental United States outside California. Data collected include socio-economic attributes, current vehicles and their usage, preference for conventional vehicle or AFV, and attitudes toward reducing dependence on petroleum and improving air quality. The survey considered the effect on vehicle choice of attributes specific to AFVs, such as range, fuel availability, operating cost, interior and luggage space, and emissions as well as consumer attitudes toward the safety and reliability of AFVs. Preliminary results seem to indicate some differences in vehicle preferences between Californians and the rest of the nation.