“With America now importing 60% of the oil we use and a national bill for this habit that came to $250 billion last year, there is simply no time to waste. With worldwide demand growing rapidly, and with concern about the environmental impact of greenhouse gases rising, the deployment of clean, reliable sources of energy is clearly in our national interest.” - Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman

So it was in complete lieu with the comment of Bodman when U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced a disbursement of a princely sum of $17 million with an aim to improve automobile efficiency and reduce the nations dependence on imported oil.  The announcements was made at the Washington Auto Show, by assistant secretary, Alexander Karsner before the senior executives from General Motors, Ford and DaimlerChrysler.

The total fund will be broken into two separate segments: $14 million will go to support the researches relating to plug-in hybrid electric vehicle technology. The rest $3 million is intended to encourage researches in the fields of E-85 engine performance.

Karsner emphasized on the development of commercially viable fuel-efficient cars…not just the concept cars. According to Karsner, this can be achieved by improving battery technology and engine efficiency….・

Here is a summary of the DOE plan:

The first and foremost aim of DOE is to encourage efficient and marketable researches relating to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and E85-blended fuel. The FreedomCAR and Vehicle Technologies Programs of DOE are supposed to take the lead role in these efforts of DOE towards energy independence.

The second aim is to achieve a breakthrough in battery technology so that it becomes possible for the plug-in hybrid vehicles to deliver a performance as efficient as the 40 miles of electric range to facilitate usual roundtrip daily commutes.

On a practical note, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle test bed at DOE Argonne National Laboratory has been created to allow scientists carry on with their experiments with advanced hybrid vehicles.

The concluding part of the fund comprises $3 million. This money is to be expended on the researches on the improvement of the fuel economy of E85 engines and reduction of vehicle emissions. E85, which is a gasoline-ethanol blend of motor fuel contains 85% ethanol and can be used in flex-fuel vehicles. Because of its enormous oxygen content, the E85 fuel burns out more completely, thus providing a cleaner fuel option than conventional gasoline.

It also welcomes the projects aimed at development of flex-fuel vehicles depending on the favorable properties of ethanol gasoline blends.