��

William Chernicoff� ^A Sergey Naumov� ^B Shahryar Sarkani , Ph . D� ^C & Thomas Holzer , Ph . D� ^D

�� Th�� eff�� Th��

��

Introduction

Current regulations and mandates are

fostering important changes in the light-duty passenger vehicle market in the United States . The need for higher efficiency powertrains and accommodating increasing volumes of ethanol into the US fuel supply system have created challenges for stakeholders : vehicle manufacturers , ethanol producers , station owners , energy companies , and consumers ( Morey , 2014 ). The current market provides two avenues for the use of ethanol : through flex fuel vehicles ( FFVs ) coupled with the retail sale of E85 fuel containing up to 85 % ethanol , and through conventional powertrains coupled with the low percentage ethanol blend , which is fuel containing up to 10 % or 15 %, as to convert into conventional gasoline . Both fuels are typically used in engines designed and approved to use 87 anti-knock index ( AKI ) octane fuel . This engine design architecture fails to take advantage of the high-octane properties of ethanol , and creates challenges for ethanol blend fuels to offer utility advantages to the customer , fuel retailers , and auto manufacturers . As a

Ph�D� Candidate Department of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering , George Washington University�

Ph�D� Candidate System Dynamics Group Sloan School of Management , Massachusetts Institute of Technology�

Professorial Lecturer in Engineering Management and System Engineering , George Washington University �

Professorial Lecturer in Engineering Management and System Engineering , George Washington University � 110

Journal on Policy & Complex Systems Volume 1, Number 2, Fall 2014 | Page 112

Current regulations and mandates are