Blog Post


Observations on the current happenings in the world of vehicles and the fuels that power them from Fuels Institute Executive Director, John Eichberger.

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Without Trucks, America Stops

  John Eichberger |  November 2022

We have all seen the bumper stickers – “Without trucks, America stops”- and it’s true. The data available relative to this critical industry is incredible, as is the contribution trucks make to the nation’s economy. At the same time, as the industry and the nation consider strategies to reduce carbon emissions from the transportation sector, these vehicles must be a focus of our efforts as they account for 24% of U.S. transportation greenhouse gas emissions. In doing so, we also must recognize the complexity and unique characteristics of medium and heavy-duty vehicles (MHDV) in order to find solutions that balance environmental progress with economic activity. This will require significant effort, but the opportunities for progress in this sector are plentiful.

Focus on Solutions, Not Politics

  John Eichberger |  October 2022

Political discourse seeks to simplify every issue and cast it in terms of black and white. This creates a real challenge to resolving serious issues, because most often the solution is not simple and it cannot be summarized in a political sound bite. This is especially true with regards to reducing emissions from the transportation sector and it is why the Fuels Institute does so much research into this vibrant and complex market – to help us focus on solutions, not politics.

Decarbonizing the Elephant in the Room – Combustion Vehicles

  John Eichberger |  September 2022

The pressure to decarbonize the transportation sector continues to gain momentum.  The trend worldwide is to initiate policies that move away from traditional internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEV) operating on liquid fuels towards battery operated EVs, plug-in hybrids and fuel cell EVs.  And while there has been tremendous growth and investment in new vehicle technologies that can utilize potentially lower carbon energy sources, there remains a very large elephant in the room that must be addressed as well – the significant global and U.S. inventory of ICE vehicles. The question is, how large is that elephant? 

When and Where Should We Install EV Chargers?

  John Eichberger |  August 2022

Vast majority of needs might be satisfied with strategically placed Level 2 Chargers.

Butterfly Effect and Forecasts

  John Eichberger |  July 2022

A friend of mine who worked for a market analysis and consulting firm at the time, and who personally produced many forecasts about the transportation market (including some for the Fuels Institute), once told me – a forecast is only as good as the assumptions used and the results are outdated as soon as they are released.

Walk and Chew Gum – Keeping Biofuels at the Table

  John Eichberger |  June 2022

While new technology will go a long way to helping us on a path towards carbon neutrality in the transportation sector, we have lost sight of something very important. Internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEV) remain the dominant source of mobility in the world. We have to walk and chew gum at the same time – we can and have a responsibility to embrace new technologies while simultaneously improving upon existing ones.

A Core Motivation of Decarbonization

  Jeff Hove |  May 2022

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has proposed rules on Environmental and Social Responsibility (ESG) that may be finalized as early as December 2022. For this reason, and many others, it is critical that businesses engaged in the transportation sector pay attention to their environmental performance. Here’s a detailed explanation of why. 

E15 Summer Waiver: Key Questions About the Market

  John Eichberger |  April 2022

The sale of E15 during the summer months is currently prohibited due to environmental regulations. The goal of this action is to provide a lower price fuel option for consumers and encourage more retail facilities to offer the fuel. The Fuels Institute took a look at the market to better understand what impact this decision might have on fuel supply and prices.

MHD Vehicles – Dynamic, Complex and Deserving of Special Attention

  John Eichberger |  March 2022

The medium and heavy-duty vehicle (MHDV) market policies, targets, and expectations cannot be the same as those for light-duty vehicles because the MHDV market is vastly more complex. To inform the broad community on the nuances of MHDV decarbonization, the Fuels Institute collaborated with Guidehouse Insights to highlight the complexity of the market in a new report.

Fuels Prices – In Context, not Hype

  John Eichberger |  February 2022

The price of oil and gasoline is once again dominating news coverage, and with good reason - prices haven’t been this high since 2014. The bottom line to understanding prices has its roots back in high school economics - supply and demand. In an effort to move away from the rhetoric, let’s take a look at some historic data that will provide insight into some of the fundamentals affecting the market today.