The Center for Alternative Fuels, Engines, and Emissions (CAFEE) at West Virginia University has an internationally recognized research program in the area of vehicles, engines, emissions, and alternative fuels — with a particular focus on heavy-duty vehicles.

Through these efforts, we are contributing to two important national goals:

• improving the environment by reducing vehicle exhaust emissions, and
• reducing the consumption of petroleum-based fuels and our dependence on imported oil, through the use of alternative fuels

These goals are part of the national vision embodied in the United States Energy Policy Act and are especially relevant to international concerns over global climate change.

Funding and Support

The Center has received research funding from the U.S. Departments of Energy and Transportation, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, major engine manufacturers, the California Air Resources Board, fuel providers, and several state and municipal transit agencies. Through its extensive research program, CAFEE has built the largest national database of heavy-duty vehicle exhaust emissions and fuel efficiency data.

An Expert Team

CAFEE's research team of faculty, students, and technical staff is one of the most experienced in the nation in the characterization of emissions and performance of heavy-duty vehicles, with 20 years of experience and broad expertise in the measurement of vehicle exhaust emissions, fuel economy, and environmental impact.

Research and Testing Activities

• Vehicle Emissions and Fuel Economy Measurement
• Engine Emissions Research and Certification
• In-Use Vehicle Emissions and Fuel Economy Measurement
• Locomotive Emissions Testing and Certification
• Marine Vessel Emissions Testing
• Hybrid Electric Vehicle Development
• Engine Control, Calibration, Modeling, and Diagnostics
• Gas Turbine Research & Development
• Innovative Engine Design — including Linear, Free-Piston Engine Development

Laboratories and Facilites

CAFEE operates a Transportable Heavy-Duty Chassis Dynamometer, a Medium-Duty Chassis Dynamometer and a Mobile Emissions Measurement Laboratory, built to post-2010 emissions measurement standards. CAFEE also operates Mobile Emissions Measurement Systems for in-use, on-board emissions measurement for transit buses, trucks, off-highway machinery, locomotives, and marine vessels.

CAFEE also operates the Engine Research Center at WVU, where research and development is conducted on a wide range of engines, alternative fuels, technologies and propulsion systems. CAFEE has broad experience in hybrid electric vehicle development and innovative engine design.

Project History

CAFEE has measured heavy-duty vehicle emissions from over 1,000 buses and trucks at over 100 locations across North America over the past 18 years, including vehicles operating on ultra-low sulfur diesel, biodiesel, CNG, LNG, hydrogen, electricity, and a variety of other fuels.