Non-tactical vehicle replacement for the Department of the Navy's medium- and heavy-duty vehicle fleet

Abstract

The purpose of this project is to evaluate the Navy's medium- and heavy-duty non-tactical vehicles, and determine if a business case could be made for replacing them with alternative fuel vehicles. This project analyzed Marine Corps Installation Command's Southwest Region telematics data from its non-tactical vehicles to provide the operational characteristics necessary for any proposed alternative. Through market analysis, this project identified three primary alternative fuel vehicle technologies that potentially could be used to replace the existing medium- and heavy-duty non-tactical vehicle fleet. These technologies were electric, hybrid-electric, and compressed natural gas. All relevant costs were gathered to conduct a net present value analysis to determine whether a proposed alternative provided savings. While many of these technologies offered the benefit of greenhouse gas reduction for the Department of the Navy, all three technologies resulted in increased costs for the medium- and heavy-duty vehicle fleet. The primary reasons that these technologies failed to provide savings was high purchase costs and a persistent depression in world oil prices. However, this project illustrates a methodology that transportation officials can use to make future decisions based on changing variable inputs. It also provides insight into market trends in the alternative fuel market.